


Between the Pages

by New54321



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Alternate Universe, F/F, Gay Panic, LGBTQ Themes, Sex, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-02-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:55:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 49,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22152121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/New54321/pseuds/New54321
Summary: Waverly Earp has everything she needs. She’s an editor, dating the doting owner of the publishing firm she works for, and doing what she loves every day. So why does it always feel like the pieces don’t quite fit?When the firm takes on a new author, Waverly is tasked to work with her while her boyfriend is away. She finds herself captivated by the words on the pages, and by the intriguing women who wrote them.Will she find the answers, and the missing pieces to her puzzle?
Relationships: Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught, WayHaught
Comments: 268
Kudos: 1132





	1. Comfortably Numb

**Author's Note:**

> I thought I would try something – AU that is a bit of a side step from the WE universe, but we are still all about Wayhaught here.
> 
> If you want to find me on Twitter, I am @StaceyE706 😊

Waverly tucked her legs tighter underneath herself, her fingers still curled around a now cold cup of coffee. She turned another page of her book, her mind embedded in the world scrawled across the pages. Annabeth Chase; Violet Baudelaire; Jo March; Elizabeth Bennet; Hermione Granger. The undeniable strength of a female character excelling despite an expectation to be weak; to comply. The single common thread that ran between the many stories that Waverly Earp lost herself in.

Waverly’s eyes scanned the pages swiftly, the fervour served by the countless times she had already read the contents - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Lizbeth Salander. She lives by her own rules, and stands strong for what she believes in. Flawed, but she uses that to become who she wants to be, not who others expect her to be. Lizbeth Salander understands herself in a way very few do. Waverly absorbed the words, finding in them the familiar pull of belonging and of feeling understood.

A soft kiss to the forehead broke Waverly from her trance, and her cold cup was lifted from her hands, a steaming one put in its place. She smiled distractedly at Perry as he headed back to the kitchen, her hazy senses struggling to refocus on the real world around her.

“Missed you this morning when I woke up, babe. Couldn’t sleep again?”

Perry’s voice called through the house, breaking her reverie. Waverly sighed, placing her bookmark in the fold of the spine, and closing the cover. She uncurled herself reluctantly from the armchair nestled in the bay window of their home and headed to the kitchen. She’d woken at 5am again, that all too acquainted feeling of discontent nagging in her brain – the one she never could place. Leaving a sleeping Perry snoring, Waverly had made her coffee and crept into the living room to her armchair, the only place she felt that she could really lose that lurking feeling.

“Mmmm yeah, didn’t want to disturb you, you were sleeping like a baby.”

Waverly leaned in to kiss Perry on the cheek as he prepared breakfast. She stroked her hand over the back of his neck. Perry was kind and good natured, and he always made sure that she didn’t want for anything. He was forever bringing her coffees, making their meals, buying her flowers, taking her out. On paper, Perry was perfect for Waverly, and everything she’d ever said she wanted. Waverly loved the gentleness of her boyfriend, but she was never able to shake the slightly absent feeling that she felt when she was around him. Like she was living someone else’s life.

“And I feel good for it too! What you got on today babe? We’ve got the networking event tomorrow night, and I figured you need something to wear, and you could do with some retail therapy. Get out of the house for a bit?”

Perry pulled Waverly into him, his hands heavy on her hips. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him softly. Waverly pulled away as she felt her boyfriend move to deepen the kiss. She felt a twinge of guilt as the rejection flashed in Perry’s eyes, and cursed herself for her indifference. She kissed him again but stepped back, the space now between them keeping the kiss chaste.

“Not a bad plan! I’ll see if Wynonna is around.”

“Great! Then you can meet me for lunch. We’ve got some stuff we need to go over before the event – some names I need you to be on the lookout for.”

Waverly nodded, already distracted, firing a text message to her sister. She headed to the bathroom, rolling her eyes instinctively as she heard the words her boyfriend called after her.

“And babe – make it sexy! We need your charm.”

Waverly turned the dial of the shower, and undressed as she waited for the first signs of steam to tell her the water was warm enough. She eyed her reflection in the mirror. _Make it sexy_. Like that was all she could bring to the table. Waverly took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly as she stepped into the shower, the warm water finally waking her senses fully.

Three years, she’d worked for the publishing company, and for two and a half of those years she’d been dating the man who owned it. Perry would say it himself; Waverly was the company’s most skilled editor - but she was particular about the works she would involve herself in. Waverly worked best when she was passionate, and she wouldn’t compromise herself for something she felt disinterested in.

As an editor, it wasn’t Waverly’s job to attend the networking events, but Perry always insisted on it. Waverly was well liked, sweet natured and charming, and Perry was adamant that her appeal put their company on the table for many of the authors she networked with. Waverly enjoyed the social aspect and she loved to meet authors whose work genuinely intrigued her, but she always felt seen as the beauty - Perry as the brains, and that infuriated her.

Waverly tilted her head back, letting the water cascade over her face for a moment before she switched the dial off. Wrapping her towel tightly around her middle, she glanced at her phone as the screen lit up, the bar across the top reading her sister’s name. She grinned, shaking her head.

_I’m there if there’s donuts? See you in 40? Xx  
  
_

**********************************************************************************  
  
Waverly shrugged as she stepped through the changing room curtain, turning slowly to show off the final dress to her sister.

“Babygirl they all look the same. You genuinely could have walked in and out of there three times in the same dress and I would have been none the wiser.”

Wynonna’s disinterest was clear in her voice, and Waverly watched her slide down the wall to the floor. Waverly leaned against the doorframe, one hand on her hip. She wore a black, fitted dress that cut off just above the knee, lace rising high on the neck, and clinging into mid length sleeves.

“Don’t get me wrong sis, you look smoking, but like... just pick one already. There’s a bag of donuts with my name on at the stall outside.”

“Wynonna! I need you to help me. Perry says I have to look _sexy_...” Waverly fiddled with the clothes hanger she had removed from the dress, and her lip turned up as she repeated Perry’s instruction. She caught herself as she saw her sister roll her eyes, and raise her brows.

“Waves – you’d look sexy in a bin bag, but I would probably worry more about bringing some personality to the table. Someone’s got to, and it certainly isn’t going to be Mr Beige-and-Unsalted.”

Waverly tutted, throwing the clothes hanger at her sister.

“Do you absolutely have to? I still don’t understand what you think is so wrong with him.”

Wynonna’s face softened, and she sighed, pulling herself to her feet. She handed the hanger back to her sister, a small smirk intercepting the mock warning look on her face.

“There’s nothing _wrong_ with Perry, he’s ...” She shrugged. “Nice.”

Waverly groaned, turning back into the changing room.

“Great.”

“Babygirl he’s fine. I have no problem with Perry, it’s just that you seem...”

Waverly held her breath as Wynonna trailed off, and she felt anxiety flood her stomach as she waited for the words that she feared would match her 5am thoughts.

“You seem comfortable.” Wynonna’s voice betrayed her contempt for that thought. “You know me. I kinda wish I could see my baby sister _alive_!”

Waverly drew the curtain, pressing her forehead against the cool glass of the mirror. Things with Perry were simple. They were easy, Perry treated her well, and she didn’t understand why that wasn’t good enough for her sister. That nagging feeling surged though at Wynonna’s words and Waverly knew that some truth rang in them. Waverly felt truly alive only when she lost herself in the pages of her favourite authors, letting her own thoughts give way to the minds of her protagonists. Did she really _live_ her own life? She ran her hands over her head trying to pry the thoughts from her mind. Waverly changed, studying the three dresses in front of her. She shook her head and sighed. Wynonna was right. She hung all three on the return rack and took a deep breath before she returned to her sister.

Waverly studied the rails, passing her fingers over the materials of the items hanging from them. She lingered over a dress, black in its base, deep emerald woven into the bottom half, and intense ruby mirroring the pattern in the top. The high, closed neck line gave way to a slit that ran down the breast, sealing at the waistline where ruby met emerald. The dress shimmered as Waverly’s fingers brushed it. She picked it up, and gesturing to Wynonna to follow, headed to the changing room.

The dress fit perfectly, hugging Waverly’s figure, and cutting off just above her knees. The deep slit ran down between Waverly’s breasts, ruby accentuating the smooth curves of exposed flesh disappearing beneath the material. Waverly studied her reflection, a small smirk playing at the corners of her mouth. She felt good. Waverly spun as she threw the curtain back, shimmying her hips, her arms above her head.

“How do I look?”

She froze. Deep hazel eyes met her own, then the girl in front of her dragged them slowly over her body, a smirk playing at full lips. She ran her hand through tousled red hair and grinned, dimples forming in her cheeks. Waverly felt the burn of a blush form, and she sheepishly dropped her arms to her side.

“Like my wildest dreams!”

The girl winked, and chuckled as Waverly’s blush grew deeper. Something in those eyes seemed to pierce through Waverly’s skin and the prickling heat she felt wash over her disorientated her slightly. She breathed out a laugh.

“I’m sorry, I was expecting someone else! But thank you, that... that’s good to know.”

She stumbled over her words, heat coursing her body under the redhead’s gaze. She shook her head, closing her eyes for a moment, as she tried to regain her composure. Waverly cursed herself, confusion seeping into her thoughts. Get a grip! What was this? She opened her eyes, butterflies surging through her stomach as she looked straight into now sparkling pools of hazel.

“Boyfriend?”

The redhead cocked an eyebrow as she spoke, and Waverly smirked.

“Sister.”

That wide dimpled smile set the butterflies swarming, and Waverly immediately scolded herself for her ambiguity. The redhead nodded, and once again her deep eyes raked over the length of Waverly’s body. Waverly swallowed involuntarily, swearing she could physically feel the intensity behind them.

“You should take it. It looks...”

The redhead’s eyes snapped back to meet Waverly’s, and she rebuked herself again for the sharp intake of breath she felt pull as she took in their now darkened shade.

“Powerful.”

The word sent a shiver down Waverly’s spine, her green eyes locked in a hazel gaze that she couldn’t seem to break away from.

“Dude, is it donut time yet?”

Wynonna’s voice stirred a heavy blend of relief and disappointment in Waverly’s chest, as she tore her eyes from the redhead to find her sister. The tension cut, Waverly registered her quickened pulse, and her flushed skin. She turned to face her sister, no longer able to look the redhead in the eyes.

“Yes! Yeah, I’ve er... I’ve found my dress.” She gestured. “Let me just change, and we can head.”

She risked one more glance at the redhead, unable to stop the smile that formed as she noticed she was still watching her, that playful smirk unfaltering. She drew the curtain and closed her eyes, blowing a puff of air out through her cheeks. What in hell was that?

Waverly changed slowly, unsure whether or not she hoped the redhead would still be there when she emerged. She took a deep breath, shaking her hands out in an effort to compose herself. When she exited the changing room, Wynonna awaited her, arms crossed, eyebrow raised and a smug smirk on her face.

“Who was that!?”

“I... I don’t know. She was just there... I thought she was you.” Waverly felt the blush creep back up her neck, and she glanced around, trying to catch a glimpse of the redheaded stranger.

“That, baby sister, made Dirty Dancing look tame. And we both know how Swayze can smoulder.”

Wynonna smirked, nudging her sister with her hip. Waverly groaned.

“Shut up. Please.”

She rolled her eyes as her sister laughed and pushed passed her as she headed for the till. She scanned the floor but was unable to spot the redhead. As the cashier pushed through the sale, Waverly glanced at her watch. Shit. She was late for lunch with Perry.  
  


**********************************************************************************  
  
Waverly entered the restaurant, spotting Perry with his back to the door. She took a moment to calm herself down as she approached him. She was flustered, still reeling from her encounter with the redhead, and she had rushed across the mall to get here quickly. Perry smiled broadly as Waverly sat down, and leant across the table to kiss her.

“Hey babe, how was your morning? Did you manage to get something?”

Waverly merely nodded, uncomfortable heat rising in her chest as she reflected on her conversation with Wynonna, and then on the deep hazel eyes that had triggered her current flustered state.

“How about you? How was your morning?”

“Yeah all good, I swung by the office to pick up some stuff that I need us to go through before tomorrow night.”

Waverly smiled, and nodded. Normally she would veer off topic, not wanting her whole life to be her work. Today though, she pushed Perry on, needing the distraction.

“There’s a couple of authors that I need us to be on the lookout for. Bradley Brazier has a first instalment of a crime trilogy that’s tipped to be a James Bond-esque success. He has three hits already, none of which we published, but the rumour mill suggests his contracts with Hamish’s are up and he plans to look elsewhere for the new work.”

Waverly rolled her eyes. She was already uninterested in Bradley Brazier, having read his first work and finding it chauvinistic and bigoted. She picked at the edges of her menu, thinking of the argument they would have if she was asked to edit for Brazier, and declined, as she always did when she didn’t love the work. Perry never understood why she stood so strong. A job is a job.

“Then there’s a woman...” Perry rifled through the pages. “A Nicole Haught. Up and coming, tipped to be massive. She’s written some teen, soulmate universe thing that’s all the rage right now. Twilight vibes or something, I don’t know. I’m told it’s big, and we need it.”

Perry looked up at Waverly, taking her hands in his.

“I want this one Waves, and when we win it, I want you to take it. It’d do you some good to work on some popular fiction, get your name out there.”

Waverly sighed. Neither of the works mentioned sounded like her thing at all. She would do her bit at the networking event, but this was an argument for another day.


	2. Search My Soul

Waverly zipped the dress up, running her hands over the front to smooth the creases. She’d teased her long, caramel hair into loose curls that fell around her shoulders, and her green eyes were accentuated by smoky make up. She applied a subtle coat of cherry lipstick, and slipped the tube into her clutch bag.

Perry’s arms snaked around her waist, and she watched as he studied her reflection in the mirror.

“I think this is a new personal favourite.”

He mumbled the words into her shoulder as he kissed it lightly, and she turned to face him. Perry always looked effortlessly handsome, but he scrubbed up especially well in a fitted three-piece suit of charcoal grey. Waverly smiled, running her fingers through the back of her boyfriend’s hair.

“We look good, we feel good... let’s do this.”

The cab drove them right to the door of the hotel in which the event was taking place, and they were handed glasses of champagne as they entered. Perry tilted his glass towards Waverly, and she clinked hers to it. She enjoyed these events, and she knew her task tonight. Bradley Brazier. Nicole Haught.

As Perry led her round the room, Waverly was introduced to both familiar faces and new ones she didn’t recognise. There was a startling number of reality TV faces here tonight. It seemed ‘memoirs’ were a really big seller right now, and Waverly fought to conceal her disdain as a nameless face in a muscle vest and an open shirt tried to explain how he’d ghost written journals of his time on some island. She was eventually dragged away by Perry, only to be introduced to a man in his late fifties, wearing a stiff tweed suit, who smelled far too strongly of whiskey and musky aftershave. He directed his entire communication to Perry whilst looking directly at Waverly, anywhere but her face.

A waiter intercepted with a tray of champagne glasses and Waverly took another. The routine was always the same, and this bit was always her least favourite. She would be dragged around, being introduced as Perry’s girlfriend, and people would comment on her image. They’d tell Perry he was punching and they’d call Waverly charming, despite not listening to a word she said. Then eventually, the rounds would be done and Waverly would circle the room listening in on conversations, picking out the authors in the throngs of people. She would find someone who piqued her interest, and she’d fall into easy conversation. Sometimes she’d make new connections for the company, and other times she’d find a connection that was for her. On rare occasions she’d find an author whose work she loved and she’d talk with them for hours, delving into the hidden depths of the stories she’d read so well.

Waverly gritted her teeth as she saw Perry shake the hand of a fair haired man in his forties, who she recognised as Bradley Brazier. She stood a little taller, pushing her shoulders back as she watched Perry turn and gesture towards her, beckoning for her to join him. Waverly plastered a wide smile over her face, and greeted Bradley warmly, as if he were an old friend. Perry introduced her as his best editor, and Waverly felt the sickening simmer of fury and disgust hit her stomach as Bradley laughed.

“An editor eh? How can someone so beautiful be smart enough for a job like that?”

Waverly tensed, fighting to remind herself of the reason she was here. She swallowed hard, her eyes flickering shut for a moment. She fixed her eyes on Bradley’s, and smiled broadly.

“Because those things are not mutually exclusive.” She winked, and tilted her champagne glass in Bradley’s direction. A brief moment of silence followed, before Bradley grinned and she knew she’d won.

Waverly listened with forced interest as he explained his trilogy, nodding and exclaiming in all the right places. Waverly was well accustomed to the likes of Bradley Brazier. She knew she wouldn’t be expected to offer comment or opinion, and that all she really needed to do was flutter her eyelashes and smile and nod, until Bradley was satisfied. At least her other target tonight might have some substance.

When Bradley had finally finished his monologue, Waverly excused herself and headed for the bar. She felt a little deflated, the age old routine wearing thin. She was tired of the same comments and the same questions. Wynonna’s words flashed across her mind. _I wish I could see my baby sister alive._ She placed her order – scotch for Perry, whiskey and coke for herself. Waverly lingered for a moment, relishing the seconds away from the demands of the network.

Waverly spotted Perry in the corner of the room, and picked her way over to him. She dodged the throngs of people, keeping her eyes on the glasses in her hand for fear of spilling the contents. As she neared Perry, she saw him laugh openly, and turned her eyes for the first time to his company. A woman stood with her back to Waverly, red tousled hair cropped around the base of her neck. Waverly smiled broadly as she approached her boyfriend, and he reached an arm out to take the drink, freeing her hand.

“Here she is! We’ve been waiting for you.”

Waverly turned to face the red haired woman, and froze. Her breathing stopped and she felt her stomach lurch, as she registered familiar piercing hazel eyes, and full lips turned up into a knowing smirk.

“Waverly, this is Nicole Haught. She has a fantastic piece of writing that I just know...”

Perry’s words were lost as Waverly’s pulse thumped in her ears. The redhead’s eyes dropped, scanning her body, and Waverly swallowed hard as she felt heat rise again in her stomach.

_Nicole Haught._

_Shit._

Waverly felt her own eyes flicker to Nicole’s lips and the dimples that formed in her cheeks as the redhead grinned.

“And this is Waverly Earp! She’s our best editor, and if you were to work with us we would be sure to pair you up together.”

Waverly blushed as Nicole cocked her eyebrow, the corners of her full lips twitching as she supressed a smirk.

“I think you’d make a good team. Waverly is charming, she’s beautiful, and she loves to read.” Perry grinned, wrapping his arm around Waverly’s shoulder. “What more could she need?”

Waverly flinched as Perry’s touch pulled her from her stupor, and his voice returned to her focus. She felt the threat of anger trickle through her as his words registered. She watched with intrigue as Nicole knotted her eyebrows, tilted her head to the side, and turned her gaze to Perry. Nicole’s voice was low and steady, and she counted each word on her fingers as she spoke.

“Literacy. Attention to detail. Creativity. Vision. Intuition. Perceptivity. Passion.”

Her eyes flicked back to Waverly as she trailed off, and she winked. Waverly held her gaze, unable to stop the grin she could feel spreading across her face, Nicole’s words echoing in her mind. Waverly glanced down as the redhead extended her hand towards her. She closed her own around it, reclaiming eye contact as she shook it firmly.

“It’s nice to meet you Waverly.” Nicole’s hand lingered in her own, and her cocky grin sent a shiver down Waverly’s spine. “Powerful dress.”

Waverly smirked, finding confidence in the knowing, playful tone of the redhead’s voice. She ran her eyes deliberately over Nicole’s body, taking in the way the deep sapphire material sat close over her curves, a diamond cut panel revealing a teasing glimpse of toned abs. She flicked her eyes back up to meet hazel, smirking at the amused look on the redhead’s face that told her Nicole knew she was being played at her own game. She poked the tip of her tongue between her teeth and grinned cheekily.

“I had a few options. _Great_ vision told me that this was the one.”

“Great intuition.” Nicole smirked.

“Great perceptivity.” Waverly shot back, the easy exchange entrancing her.

Nicole laughed, nodding her head slightly, dark eyes still searching Waverly’s. Waverly felt butterflies swarm in her stomach, quickly replaced by a pang of guilt as Perry chuckled nervously beside her. She dropped her gaze and stepped back, as if to put some distance between herself and the heated tension she felt around Nicole. Perry’s voice felt alien, somehow, as it broke through the thick haze the redhead had stirred in her mind.

“Nicole, why don’t you tell us a bit about your book? I hear it’s a bit of a fantasy teen romance?”

“I... _guess_ that’s _almost_ the carry case. For me, it’s a focus on human nature. We all have our ideal world.”

It was impulse. Waverly couldn’t control the way her body turned and leaned towards Nicole as she spoke, as if by moving closer she could tease more from the redhead. The author’s eyes were back on her own as she continued, and Waverly found herself hanging onto every word.

“We think we know what we want. Maybe some of us are right. But I think most of us...”

Waverly found herself holding her breath as Nicole’s eyes bore into hers, her voice dropping lower.

“... Don’t really understand until we find it.”

Waverly closed her eyes for a moment, her head swimming. _What was happening?_ Nicole intrigued her, drew her in, and it was intoxicating. She shook her head, trying desperately to clear the fog from her brain. She took a deep breath, composing herself, and turned to Perry. She hoped she could pass this off as an effort to secure the deal with Nicole, as she had been instructed to do.

“Why don’t you find Bradley, babe.” She smirked, raising an eyebrow in Nicole’s direction. “I think I should buy Miss Haught a drink, and she should tell me something a _little_ less vague about this book of hers.”

Waverly grinned at the relief on Perry’s face, as he shook Nicole’s hand and then hastily made his way through the crowd of people. She laughed as Nicole screwed her face and spread her hands in a gesture of mock confusion.

“Less vague!?”

Waverly nodded, and pointed towards the bar, raising her eyebrows quizzically. She grinned.

“This better be worth my while.”  
  
**********************************************************************************

Waverly scanned the same paragraph for the fourth time, the words nothing but pixels on her screen. She scrunched her eyes tight, willing her brain to focus on the manuscript on the screen in front of her. Or, in fact, _anything_ other than the redheaded author she’d spent all morning thinking about. Burning eyes, dimpled cheeks, that inquisitive smirk, and a full lower lip caught between white teeth... Waverly shuddered.

_“So... a soulmate concept, I’m told?”_

_“I thought your boyfriend had it noted. Teen romance, right?” Nicole’s tone was dry, her face deadpan but for the glint in her still penetrating gaze._

_“Mmhmm. That’s what’s in the brief...” Waverly teased, pushing the glass along the bar to the redhead. “But I’m not sure I see you as the type to write ‘Twilight: Generation Z’.” Waverly grinned, running her finger absent mindedly around the rim of her own glass._

_Waverly halted as she watched Nicole’s eyes flick from her own, tracing the circles her fingers made on the glass. The redhead ran her tongue between her lips, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth as she smirked, and Waverly felt an unforgiving trickle of heat run through her core. Nicole breathed out a laugh as she shook her head._

_“Things are always more intricate than they may first appear.”_

There was something in the way Nicole spoke that sparked fire within Waverly. Something empowering in her choice of words: Intricacy; Passion; Power. Something almost sensual in the strength of them, that set Waverly’s body on edge. Waverly pressed the palms of her hands to her eyes and sighed deeply.

“Babe, I have news.”

Waverly jumped as Perry swung around the wall of her small office cubicle. She blinked, the pressure from her palms leaving her eyes blurry. She rubbed them and ran her fingers through her hair as she pushed her chair back, turning towards Perry.

“I just got off the phone with an Oliver Raines, literary agent for one Nicole Haught. He says they are approaching two companies for application – us, and Hamish’s. We have a meeting scheduled for tomorrow morning.”

Perry perched on the edge of Waverly’s desk, his composure professional but his eyes sparking with excitement.

“Nice work Wave. I want you to attend the meeting, as the proposed editor. You seemed to click really well with Haught last night, and I _need_ to make sure we sign this.”

Waverly inhaled deeply, blowing the air out slowly through pursed lips. Her chest felt heavy, and she couldn’t bring herself to meet Perry’s gaze. This was dangerous and she knew it.

“I don’t know if that’s such a great idea, babe... teen fiction, it’s not...” Waverly grasped at her words, trying desperately to find a reason that she believed Perry would understand.

“Waverly, just attend the meeting. Hear the proposal, and then decide, okay?”

Perry grasped her shoulder as he stood, and Waverly winced. Guilt coursed through her at her boyfriend’s touch, knowing that the heat that still surged under her skin didn’t belong to him. As she watched Perry retreat, Waverly groaned and slumped down in her chair.

Fuck.  
  


****************************************************************************

The sound of the kettle rattling as it boiled shook Waverly from the pages of her book, and she glanced at the clock. It was 7am, and the meeting with Nicole was at ten. Perry was up earlier than usual, and Waverly knew he was anxious. Nerves caught Waverly’s breath short, and sweat prickled her palms. She knew that her own apprehension was laced with excitement. She knew that she wanted to win the bid, and that it had nothing to do with the material that she was yet to see. She knew it had everything to do with Nicole, and that was exactly what scared her.

Waverly headed for the shower, unable to bring herself to make small talk with Perry. She hoped the soothing heat of the water would distract her from the knot in her stomach. She needed to do this with a clear head. Nicole Haught was intriguing, and undeniably sexy - but this was Perry’s business, Waverly was his girlfriend, and she loved him. _Didn’t she?_ She turned the dial hotter.

Waverly dressed slowly, as if somehow it would stall the time. She buttoned her crisp white shirt, and tucked it into fitted grey trousers that cut off around her ankles. She pulled a matching blazer on over the top, and straightened the collar. Perry’s reflection appeared beside hers in the mirror and he mimicked her actions, brushing down the jacket of his blue-grey suit. She took a deep breath and exhaled hard as he grinned, his only words spoken with forced confidence.

“Let’s get this.”

Neither spoke as they made the drive to the office, the nervous tension thick in the air between them. Waverly knew Perry was rehearsing his bid in his head, and she was happy for the chance to remain inside her own. As they pulled into the parking lot, she felt butterflies pool in her stomach and she ran her hands through her hair. She needed to stay professional.

It was 10am to the minute when the phone rang in the small conference room, and the receptionist informed Perry that Miss Haught and her agent had arrived. Waverly stood in anticipation as Perry left to greet the guests. She pressed her hands over her trousers, trying to absorb the moisture from her palms. She straightened her shirt, loosened an extra button, and immediately cursed herself. She frantically tried to refasten the button as the door handle turned, and a fierce blush crept up her neck as she failed to succeed in time. Perry eyed her quizzically as he held the door for the guests, and Waverly averted his gaze, her flustered state clearly apparent.

Her eyes landed on Nicole as she entered the room. Her usually tousled hair was pulled straight, and shaped around her face. She wore a fitted suit of raven black, the jacket buttoned over a pale blue shirt that dropped just low enough for Waverly’s eyes to skim the hint of curves between the spread of material. The sleeves of the jacket were pushed up over Nicole’s forearms, in a fashion that added a defiant edge to the otherwise formal image. _Wow._ Waverly reached to shake Nicole’s hand and shook her head as the redhead’s lips turned up in a smug grin, telling her she had registered her reaction.

A tall, thin man in his thirties with a thick Northern English accent, introduced himself as Oliver Raines, Nicole’s literary agent. Waverly made her greetings, and waited for the guests to sit before she took her own seat. Waverly sat opposite to Nicole, Perry to her right and Oliver to Nicole’s left.  
  
Waverly fought to stay focused as Oliver lay the proposal out for Perry. She never attended these meetings, and for good reason. She was uninterested in this side of the business, and the author’s presence was making her warm. Waverly was acutely aware of piercing hazel eyes that insistently cast over her, and a subtle ache threatened in her thighs as Nicole chewed her lip in an effort to maintain concentration.

Waverly tuned in as she heard Nicole speak.

“The outer premise is a world wherein people are born bearing a code across their shoulders. There will be one other person on the planet with the same code. A soulmate, if you like, assigned at birth.”

Waverly leaned forward as she listened intently, the tap of Perry’s laptop keys as he took his notes irritating her irrationally.

“For my protagonist, something seems wrong. None of the shapes in her code are complete. The...”

Nicole was cut off, as Perry’s voice interrupted.

“She doesn’t feel like she belongs! She’s on a mission to find her true soulmate! I love it. It’s romantic, and all the rage. We have such a great team here that can get this out to all our teen readers.”

Waverly glared at Perry, frustration taking hold of her at the audacious assumptions her boyfriend was making. She glanced at Nicole, recognising the same irritation and surprise behind the redhead’s eyes.

“Not quite...” Nicole’s voice was steady, but the cool undertone gave away her contempt. “The intended delusion is that the soul she is _supposed_ to be with is split, and parts of it occupy many bodies. The plotline follows her navigation of herself and the realisation that she doesn’t work the way the world wanted her to. My aim, though...”

“I’m with you!” Perry interjected for a second time. “The same soul in different bodies, fantastically innovative concept. This is exactly the kind of thing that we would be experts at handling here!”

Waverly felt her irritation boil over, and the fire behind Nicole’s eyes told her she wasn’t alone. She snapped.

“Are you genuinely going to keep talking over Nicole, or do you think maybe we could listen to what she has to say on the off chance that it might actually be worth the tips you’re being given?”

She glowered at Perry, until the shocked expression on his face made her feel guilty, and she turned her gaze away. Her eyes landed on Nicole’s. The redhead’s expression was cold, but the intensity with which her eyes burned into Waverly sent shivers through her core, and she placed her hands on the table as if to ground herself. She saw the traces of a smirk play in the corners of Nicole’s lips as their eyes connected, and she breathed a small sigh of relief.

“Do you publish as well as you listen?” Nicole raised an eyebrow at Perry. Her voice was still low, and laced with disapproval, but the playful traces of her smile didn’t falter. Waverly supressed a grin.

“I think perhaps we should wrap this up. Miss Haught and I have another meeting this afternoon. We shall be in touch once we have made our decisions.” Oliver’s tone was brisk, as he snapped his laptop shut.

Nicole stood, offering her hand to Perry as she nodded curtly. As she turned to Waverly her face softened, and she let her hand linger slightly longer. She winked, and grinned her dimpled trademark, before turning and following Oliver out of the office.

Waverly sighed, whirling to face Perry, arms folded.

“Well, that went well.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please do leave me your feedback, this is all very new to me and it's very much appreciated! :)


	3. Draw Me In

Waverly flicked the switch on the coffee machine in the small kitchenette at the back of the office. She leant back against the counter as she waited for it to brew, running her hands over her face. Something felt off kilter today, and she couldn’t put her finger on it. She felt on edge, her chest felt heavy, and she was unable to focus. She checked her phone, hoping for an update from Perry. He had gone across town for a bid meeting with Bradley Brazier early that morning, and she’d expected him back in the office before lunchtime.

It had been nearing 5am again when Waverly had woken this morning, as it always was of late. She’d stayed in bed for longer than usual, surveying Perry as he slept, watching the rise and fall of his chest, his face smooth and peaceful. He had irritated her yesterday, in the way he had let his nerves get the better of him in the meeting with Nicole, and in the way he had argued with Waverly over it afterwards. They had barely spoken during the day, and they’d gone to sleep with the tension still thick. Waverly had known that this morning they would pretend the fight never happened, as they always did. Perry would be as attentive as ever, and Waverly would feel guilty for letting the sun go down on their argument.

The familiar nagging feeling pulled in her chest and she pushed it down, turning back to busy herself with her coffee cup. The feeling was beginning to speak with a clearer voice, and Waverly wasn’t sure she was ready to hear what it had to say. Life with Perry was everything she’d always known she wanted. They fit together so easily, and that was how it was supposed to be. Beauty in simplicity. Right?

Familiar heavy, even footsteps made Waverly look up.

“We okay?”

Perry’s voice was laced with concern, and he entered the kitchenette slowly. Waverly sighed, compassion flooding her chest as she recognised the anxiety in her boyfriend’s eyes.

“Course.” She nodded, turning her lips up into a half smile. “Coffee? Any updates?”

Perry grinned, relief flickering in his eyes.

“Please. Nothing yet.” He sighed, anxiety threading through his voice. “This morning seemed to go well, but apparently Hamish’s have upped their offering so I really don’t know. Guess it’s anyone’s game.”

Waverly smiled sympathetically at her boyfriend, and turned to focus on the coffee in an effort to spare him from the unease settling in her own eyes. A moment of silence ensued as she poured the drinks, until a low buzzing indicated Perry’s phone ringing in his pocket. Waverly spun, anticipation shaking through her limbs. She watched him fumble in his pockets, raise his eyebrows as he scanned the caller ID, and lift the phone to his ear.

Waverly’s breath was shaky as she tried to dull the thud of her heartbeat in her ears. She could hear the low drone of a voice on the other end of the phone, but couldn’t pick out any words. _Who?_ Her heart stopped as Perry’s face lit up.

“That’s fantastic news, thank you. I can assure you we are very excited to start work...”

His eyebrows furrowed as he trailed off, and Waverly moved closer, her anxiety getting the better of her. She strained her ears, desperate for an indication of who the speaker on the other end of the phone represented. Brazier? Nicole seemed unlikely, but...

“No, of course. I understand. What’s the condition?”

Perry’s eyes shot to Waverly’s and he nodded, a wide grin spreading across his face. Waverly’s breath quickened, and she tried mouthing at Perry to give her more. He gestured a thumbs up in her direction.

“I can see no problem with that at all, I have every faith that Waverly will be delighted to edit the work.”

Waverly held her breath, biting down on her lip to control her agitation. _Please_ not Brazier?

“Thursday night is perfect. I will be away from tonight, but Waverly will be perfectly capable. I’m free this afternoon to sign the paperwork.”

Waverly shook her head, widening her eyes at Perry. What was he signing her up for? She practically jumped on the spot as Perry wrapped up his call, placing his phone back in his pocket. He grinned, shrugging his shoulders.

“Oliver Raines. It’s yours. Haught’s orders.”

Relief flooded through Waverly as the name registered in her brain, and she flung her arms around Perry. Not Bradley Brazier. Nicole _._ She felt her stomach flutter. _Haught’s orders._ She’d insisted? Waverly loosened her hold on Perry, unease creeping through as she tried to subdue the butterflies that felt inappropriate in her boyfriend’s arms.

“And Thursday?”

“Client dinner with Miss Haught. She’s keen to get things moving, and she doesn’t want to wait another week until I’m back from the conference. Oliver’s on his way over now for the legal stuff, so you don’t need me anyway. I’ll get the manuscript to you very shortly afterwards.”

Waverly took a deep breath, exhaling through her cheeks as she composed herself. Feeling somewhat shaken, she headed back to her cubicle. She willed her brain to focus as she returned to her workload, her eyes persistently flicking to the clock in the corner of her screen, wondering how long Perry would be. When his footsteps finally sounded behind her, she spun on her chair with an enthusiasm that almost sent her flying.

“Try to read at least the first three chapters before you meet.” Perry winked, and grinned as he handed her the USB.

Waverly’s hands shook as she plugged the device into her computer. She dragged the file open, laughing out loud as she scanned the first two lines of the page.

A title: _Red Ribbon Frayed_

A comment box, attached underneath:

_It’s a date! ;) See you Thursday. N x  
  
_

************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

_Mia dragged her surfboard from the water, setting it under her arm as she headed for the group of people sunbathing up on the beach. Sophie whooped and cheered, throwing her baseball cap in the air as Mia plopped herself down beside her best friend. Sophie’s trademark oversized t-shirt almost buried her shorts beneath them as she soaked up the sun. Mia surveyed the group, glancing at the codes borne into the skin across the shoulders of her peers. Each of them displayed 6 units, a combination of complete closed shapes. Circles, squares, triangles, figures of eight, and a whole host of unnamed pieces built up of curves and angular lines. She squirmed, uncomfortable in her wetsuit, wishing she could strip down the way her friends had. She listened to the idle gossip around her. Ava had found her match, it would seem. His code had been spotted and recognised by her cousin as he helped her carry her bike from a train. They had their first date tomorrow night._

“I’ll be heading off in an hour, baby. Come be with me for a while?”

Perry’s voice pulled Waverly from her laptop screen and she nodded, rubbing her eyes. She’d read and reread the first three chapters of Nicole’s manuscript as instructed, and she could already see in Mia Semper the strength, the wit, the self-insight and the bold determination that she loved so well in the women of her favourite stories. Mia resonated with Waverly, and she’d pored intently over the way Nicole wrote the protagonist studying her own unusual code - a series of incomplete lines and curves. Each part of Mia’s code almost lined up with a complete shape, but vital parts were missing that would tell her which completed form it would take. Waverly had found a self-indulged amusement in the way that Mia had drawn charts and boards and diagrams, trying to figure out what the shapes were supposed to be when complete.

_There’s a sorrow in exclusion that feels both tragic and beautiful at once. There’s pain in the deep regret of never knowing the solidarity that those around you seem to relish. But then... there’s a perverse excitement almost, in knowing that your story stands out. That something different might be meant for you._

Nicole’s storyline itself was easy reading, but a comfortable carrier for an intricate character and a thoughtful concept that Waverly was fast falling for. She scanned the words she’d read last. Mia had dated a woman whose code she’d seen, that matched the latest version she’d drawn on her board. She’d found that parts of her were perfect, but that something seemed empty in the way she made her feel. Waverly’s heart lurched as she read the words the author had used.

_Everything should have been perfect, because... well, because that’s the way it’s supposed to be. This was what she was supposed to have, she’d been so sure. Maybe one was misinterpreted. Perhaps most of them lined up, and one or two were wrong. She took her notepad and studied the shapes._

Something in the way Mia’s thoughts panned out made Waverly feel vulnerable. It was as though Nicole painted Waverly’s very core across the pages, and it felt almost intrusive.

_She was born to find everything she’d ever wanted, and it was supposed to be easy. The ‘red ribbon’ told her so. Where was the simple beauty destined for her?_

Waverly slammed the laptop shut, and pressed her palms to her eyes. The words burned in her mind, and she tried to supress the feeling of ill-ease that bubbled in her chest. She shook her limbs as she stood, fighting to lessen the heightened tension that seemed to course through her with every single thing that Nicole Haught did or said. Or wrote. She felt exposed, and she felt defensive, and she couldn’t justify the reasons.

Hastily, she found Perry. She pulled him into her and kissed him deeply, desperate to feel the connection that she wanted to believe was there. He lifted her with ease, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, pressing him tight against her. She kept her eyes closed, gripping Perry’s body as she tried to block the swarm of words that imprinted themselves across her mind.

_How easy it must be to search only for the lucid and the intended. To never second guess your every move. Just to feel._

As Perry carried her to the bedroom Waverly pulled frantically at his clothes, needing the pressure of skin to skin contact. She pressed her hands and her lips over every surface in her reach, throwing all that she had into casting red hair and penetrating hazel eyes from her mind.  
  


*******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************  
  
Waverly briefly scanned her reflection in the glass of the restaurant doors, as she reached to pull them towards her. She had arrived early, her nerves getting the better of her as she watched the clock on her living room wall edge closer to 7pm. Nicole had chosen the venue; a quirky wine bar and kitchen, kit out like an enchanted woodland. Waverly gazed in wonder as her eyes roamed the walls, lined with gnarled oak branches and twisting vines, peppered throughout with fairy lights. She grinned, her eyes widening as the host showed her to a small circular booth to the back of the restaurant and she slid herself into the cushioned bench built into its curved walls. Hanging lanterns adorned the low rounded ceiling above her, basking the heavy tree trunk table in a golden glow. Waverly couldn’t help but laugh in astonishment as she traced her fingers over the soft, moss lined walls of the booth. She felt a pre-emptive surge of affection for the childlike wonderment in Nicole’s nature that must have led to her choosing this.

The waiter took Waverly’s drinks order, and she took a deep breath as he walked away, leaving her to stew in her nerves whilst she waited for Nicole to arrive. She scrunched her hands through her hair, teasing volume into the long waves, and smoothed her hands over her teal-grey dress. A sudden thought fleeted through her mind and she felt her stomach drop in panic. How should she greet Nicole? Would a handshake seem too formal? Of course a hug would be too familiar. If she didn’t do anything at all then it might come across rude. But then if she did and she got it wrong then it might seem unprofessional, and what would Nicole be expecting, and ... _oh god._ She tapped her feet anxiously, picking at a knot in the thick wooden table top. She snapped her head up as she sensed movement beside her, huffing out a nervous breath as the waiter placed her drink on the table in front of her.

The waiter retreated, and Waverly’s breath caught in her throat as his movement allowed her to see the restaurant host make his way towards her booth, menus in hand. Following closely in his wake was Nicole, her trademark grin set firmly in its place as she set her eyes on Waverly. She looked undeniably sexy in a black leather jacket set over a simple white chiffon tank, and tight fitted black jeans. Her red hair was again pulled straight around her face, though this time carried a more casual, wind tousled edge. The necklace that hung low over her chest, Waverly smirked as she noticed, bore a phoenix wing set with silver and amber.

Waverly stood as Nicole reached the booth, butterflies beating in her stomach as she hesitated. God, _why_ was she so nervous? Those searching eyes sent shivers down her spine, every time they bore into hers.

“Hey.”

Nicole’s voice was low, spoken softly, and Waverly felt the singular word flip her stomach. She thought, for the first time in her encounters with the redhead, she could hear within it the same nerves that gripped her own chest. Waverly tensed as she watched a flicker of uncertainty flash through Nicole’s eyes. After a brief moment of hesitation, Nicole’s hand extended and Waverly grinned, unable to break the eye contact as she closed her own around it.

“Hi.” She laughed her response, relaxing as she watched the apprehension drop from Nicole’s eyes and their knowing glint return.

Nicole chuckled, and gestured towards the booth for them to take their seats.

“This place is incredible.” Waverly breathed.

“It’s magical, right?” Nicole’s eyes lit up, and she leant forward across the table in her enthusiasm. “I hoped you’d like it.”

“It really is. Every time I look around...” Waverly scanned the room once more. Her gaze stumbled over a thick oak trunk cut into the wall behind the wine bar. The trunk was decked with several small doors and lit windows at varying heights, small wooden steps built in between them. She laughed, astonishment widening her eyes further. “Every time I look around I see something new.”

Waverly turned her eyes back to Nicole, and felt adrenaline swell in her chest. The redhead’s soft, wide eyes studied her face, and her lips were pursed where she’d waited for Waverly’s opinion. They spread into her dimpled grin, and she bit down on her lower lip.

“That’s what I love so much about it. The wonderment, the magic, the enchantment. So often those are things only reserved for children, but honestly... _we_ need it more!” Nicole laughed openly. “It’s easy to forget how liberating it can feel to explore the unknown.” She winked.

The words of the manuscript flashed across Waverly’s mind as its author’s eyes held her gaze.

_That’s the grief in a thing that was always meant to be; always planned out for you. If you know all the answers to everything you need today, then what’s driving you to do it all again tomorrow?_

She pushed them back, willing her mind to keep the manuscript separate from the person in front of her. She cursed herself as Nicole’s comment sent heat through her body, yet she placed her arms on the table, her body leaning forwards on impulse as she felt the redhead draw her in. The person in front of her now was captivating; passionate, thoughtful, self-aware. Her presence made Waverly both nervous and comfortable at the same time, and she didn’t understand how that could be. She wanted to know more.

“And speaking of exploring the unknown.” Waverly teased, keeping her eyes on Nicole’s as the redhead leaned in across the table. “I want to know more about you. What do you love? What are you good at? Besides writing fluffy romance stories.”

Waverly winked, poking her tongue between her teeth as Nicole scowled at her in mock offence. The redhead pondered for a moment, then shrugged, and rested her cheek on a closed fist.

“Golden Girls trivia.”

Waverly laughed openly, shaking her head as Nicole’s eyes glazed in thought.

“I can ride a unicycle? I make a real good lasagne...”

Waverly felt goosebumps rise over her skin as Nicole moved closer, the space between them now small enough that she could feel the heat radiating from the redhead’s arms, crossed so closely to hers. She swallowed.

Waverly listened intently as Nicole told her stories of her childhood, and laughed loudly as she shared anecdotes from her time at University. She’d hung on every word Nicole had said, and the way that the redhead had done the same made her feel understood in a way that she hadn’t in a long time. She felt comfortable in Nicole’s presence, even through the adrenaline soaked haze that those dark eyes created with every sweep of her body.

She was acutely aware of her own heartbeat as the redhead trailed off, and her eyes once again fixed Waverly’s with an intensity she couldn’t pull away from.

“So do you meet all your authors in wine bars?” She smirked, her eyes dropping to Waverly’s lips.

“You would be the first.” Waverly blushed. “In fact, you would be the first author I’ve met anywhere other than the office.”

The question was the first time in hours that Waverly had remembered why she was here, and the reminder triggered a ripple of disappointment in the pit of her stomach. Nicole asked her how long she’d been editing, and whether she enjoyed it. She answered the questions, and confessed the way she felt when she was asked to edit something she didn’t feel passionate about. She felt a surge of emotion firmly grasp her chest as Nicole whole heartedly agreed with her, without a moment’s hesitation. Now, the red head grinned and cocked her head to the side, a smug expression on her face.

“You agreed to edit mine.”

“You demanded me!” Waverly grinned, poking the tip of her tongue between the corners of her lips. “‘Haught’s orders’, I was told.” She felt the butterflies in her stomach turn somersaults as Nicole laughed and nodded.

“Well, I am rather reliably informed that you are the best I can get. Adept in beauty and charm, if my memory serves.”

Nicole’s playful smirk was infectious and the flirtatious lilt in her voice sent a shiver down Waverly’s spine. The way she leaned over the table, narrowing the gap between them was unapologetic, and Waverly bit her lip in an effort to control the grin that threatened.

“The only skills I’ll need, I’m sure...” She deliberately dropped her eyes to Nicole’s lips, running her tongue between her own, a playful smile teasing the corners of her mouth.

“I told you, things are always more intricate than they first seem.” Nicole’s eyes traced the movement of Waverly’s lips, and a demanding rush of heat flowed through Waverly’s core as she registered the fire that glimmered behind them.

“So you keep telling me. Do you have any plans to elaborate?”

Nicole grinned, and shook her head slowly.

“Writing is supposed to create a feeling. It’s deliberate, and methodical. It builds. If you read ahead, you’ll never feel it the way it was intended.” Nicole’s tone was teasing, but the words were calculated and Waverly sensed the honesty within them. “Read the manuscript, Editor, and then talk to me about the concept.”

Waverly held her hands up in mock defense, her grin spread wide across her face.

“It’ll be done before we meet again.”

“Is that you agreeing to a second date?” Nicole cocked her eyebrow, her smile pursed playfully.

Waverly laughed, dropping her eyes from Nicole’s gaze as she turned her face to the table. The teasing tone of the redhead’s voice was clear, but the words had still made Waverly’s breath catch in her throat. Keeping her face turned to the table, she glanced up at Nicole from under raised eyebrows, and smirked.

“It’s me agreeing to do my job.”  
  


*************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Waverly spread her arms out across the empty bed, relishing the freedom of the space. She checked the clock. 1am. She’d been home an hour, and was no closer to sleep, her mind still swimming with Nicole. She dragged herself from her bed, and grabbed her laptop, eager to lose herself once more in the words of the author who had well and truly captivated her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please let me know what you think! I'm listening :)


	4. Break Me Apart

_Mia wrapped her arm around Sophie’s shoulder as she joined her on the sofa. Popcorn, an old comedy, and a few beers was exactly what she needed. She pulled her best friend into her and planted a kiss on her head as Sophie wriggled and mock tutted, a small grin spreading on her face. Things felt easier for Mia with Sophie around. They felt as hapless and as far from finding their soulmates as each other. Sophie never seemed to question why Mia jumped from one relationship to the next, which meant she didn’t need to tell her anything about her code. Mia studied Sophie’s face; her bright blue eyes that looked soft even when she was angry; and her full lips that always seemed to be pulled into a smile. What was stopping her? Why couldn’t she confide in her friend, like she did with everything else?_

Waverly took a sip of her coffee, and spat the cold liquid straight back into the mug. _Ugh._ She glanced at the clock. She’d been lost in the manuscript, and in Mia Semper for hours, feeling the familiar sense of falling in love with the person mapped across the pages. Waverly saw her own heart in Mia and it pulled her in, mesmerising her. Mia had been searching, finding multiple people whose codes could fit with completed versions of her own. Each one had different features that Mia had fallen for and that had been enough for a time, but each time she uncovered things that didn’t fit, and she ran.

_Maybe she’d been looking at this wrong. Maybe it’s never been one. Maybe she was destined for one soul, but that soul isn’t one body. Could a soul occupy many bodies? Was that it? The soul she was destined to be with was split, and she never would find everything she was destined for in the arms of one person? If that was true, then maybe the search was futile. Maybe she would merely pass her time, falling in love with parts of people until they found the one their destiny chose for them._

Waverly traced her fingers over the notes in her journal. Nicole wrote well, and she’d only found minor tweaks to make to the grammar and the structure of her writing. The connection that Waverly felt to Mia Semper pulled her, but Mia was strong and analytical, and Waverly longed for more of her raw emotion to spill across the pages. She wanted Mia to lay her vulnerability out for the reader to see, and she poured her unanswered questions into the journal. How did Mia feel, when she searched the eyes of someone she knew she didn’t belong with? Did she love them, in some way? How did it feel to understand that she needed to leave? How did she _know_ she needed to leave?

The buzz of a mobile ringtone dragged Waverly from her notes, and she frantically searched the papers on her desk for the phone. The name written across the caller ID sent butterflies through her stomach, and she rushed to answer before it rang out.

“Hey! I was just...”

“Thinking about me?” Nicole’s playful voice cut Waverly off, stunning her for a moment before a grin spread across her face.

“Reading your manuscript!” Waverly retorted, trying to hide the amusement from her voice. “So cocky.”

“Haven’t you finished yet? I’m getting impatient for that second date.”

Waverly shook her head, closing her eyes as she tried to quell the heat rising through her chest. Nicole had not said 15 words, and she already had her heart beating faster.

“ _Meeting_.” She forced the word out, the smile that still spread across her lips preventing her voice from hardening. She scanned her screen for the page numbers. “And I have, say... four hours left.”

“Call it six hours and meet me at mine at seven?” The question was hopeful, and Waverly couldn’t help but laugh.

“This sounds an awful lot like a date and not a lot like a meeting, Miss Haught.”

“I have an office in the outhouse...” The redhead’s grin was audible in her voice, and her dimpled smile flashed through Waverly’s mind. “I can throw in a lasagne?”

Waverly bit her lip and ran her thumb and forefinger over her eyes. Nicole’s voice was teasing and playful; confident, without being demanding, and Waverly knew that she had no fight against the redhead. Nor did she particularly want any. She laughed.

“Tempting, but please tell me your aversion to meeting me here?”

“What? I can’t hear you... you’re breaking up...”

The voice on the other end was clear, and the line connection was as strong as it had been throughout. Waverly laughed openly.

“Nicole!”

She shook her head as the phone rang off, and she pressed the mobile to her face as she digested the conversation. Her text message tone buzzed against her forehead, and she laughed, slumping down in her chair in defeat as she read the words.

_2515 19 th Street, SW. It’s a “meeting” ;) See you at 7 x_  
  


************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

The outhouse was a small oak cabin, nestled amongst the climbers and the flowerbeds that lined Nicole’s backyard. It had a small decked terrace, just large enough for a bistro set that Waverly imagined Nicole would use in the summer months. The roof sloped down almost to waist height, but for a cut section across half of the front of the building that gave way to a set of floor-to-ceiling, paned windows. The door was set in the side, painted in a deep navy colour that well contrasted the light colours of the wooden panels.

Waverly’s eyes wandered the room as Nicole led her inside. The cabin was divided into two parts. A small kitchenette filled the corner to the right, containing an oven and two hob rings, a fridge, a kettle, and a toaster. A rounded table and two light dining chairs sat beside the kitchenette. To the left of the room, a small two seater sofa was squeezed snug under the sloping roof behind a low coffee table, and shelves around it bore books, ornaments and vases. A desk was pressed up under the slope opposite, a dark pleather office chair tucked underneath it. The desk was tidy; bare but for a large monitor and a docking station, a hardback notepad with a pen tucked into its elasticated holding band, an empty mug bearing the words “ _Once Upon A Time_ ”, and a desk lamp. The sloped ceiling edge was lined with warm white spotlights, set with a dimmer switch beside the door. The room now was half-lit, the glow adding to the cosy tranquillity.

Waverly felt the warmth of Nicole’s presence beside her, and turned to face the redhead as she handed her a cold bottle of beer.

“I can see why you write here. It’s easy to forget anywhere else exists!”

“Yeah... I guess it’s kinda my safe space.” Nicole shrugged. She clinked her bottle against Waverly’s, her lips turning up into a small smile. “And you are my first guest! Thank you for meeting me here.”

Waverly swallowed, her heart rate increasing rapidly at the redhead’s words. Nicole was close, and the jasmine scent of her perfume filled Waverly’s senses. The atmosphere, the lighting, the proximity... it was making her head hazy all too quickly, and she _needed_ to stay focused.

“I’m... honoured! Though, you didn’t give me _much_ of a choice.” She grinned, winking at Nicole as she tried to keep her voice light.

“You always have a choice, Waverly.” Nicole’s smirk was playful but her voice was soft, and the honesty in her deep hazel eyes carried the sentiment behind her words as they fixed on the brunette’s.

Nicole gestured to the small sofa, and Waverly obliged, gritting her teeth in an effort to control her breathing as the redhead sat beside her. _Fuck, she looked good._ She wore a deep maroon bomber jacket set over a low black tank; her hair wavy - the tousles multiplying as she ran her fingers through it. She was _so_ close, her dark jean clad thigh brushing up against Waverly’s, the heat from the contact setting the brunette’s skin on fire. Waverly’s mind flashed: visions of running her hand slowly over Nicole’s thigh. Of closing the small gap between them, twisting her fingers in her tousled hair. Of kissing those full lips. _Shit._ She slammed her eyes shut, and blew out a shaky breath as Nicole reached for her laptop, setting it up on the coffee table.

“So, you finished the manuscript?”

Nicole’s eyes were back on Waverly’s, and the brunette was grateful for the turn of conversation to their working relationship. She focused her eyes on the laptop, relishing the distraction from the thoughts in her mind, and the heavy pulse they had caused between her legs.

Waverly had spent so many hours of her life in deep conversation with her favourite authors, dissecting every aspect of their work. She revelled in pulling apart the characters she fell in love with, identifying their roots in the people who wrote them. It was one of her favourite parts of her job, and she always felt connected to the authors in whom she managed to find the traits of their characters. But Nicole Haught was more than that. Nicole intrigued Waverly in a way that was unfamiliar to her. She wanted to know everything about the redhead, behind _and_ beyond what lay in the words of her story. For that, it was impossible for Waverly to keep their conversation focused on the manuscript. She asked Nicole questions: about her past; what made her choose to write; where she grew up; how she spent her weekends; what made her mad. Nicole had answered openly, returning the interest, always with keen eyes that seemed to search Waverly’s own.

“What about your family? Are they close by?” Waverly took another bottle of beer from Nicole’s hand as the author headed back from the fridge. She moved to take a sip, freezing as she recognised hurt flash through the redhead’s eyes.

“It’s kinda just me these days. I don’t see my parents anymore.” Nicole’s voice was steady, but small as she sat back, bringing her legs up to sit cross legged on the sofa.

“Why not?” Waverly winced and scolded herself as the words left her lips, not wanting to push the redhead into sharing more than she was comfortable to. Nicole hesitated, and Waverly felt her stomach drop.

“I was uh... I was due to get married.” When Nicole spoke, her voice was brittle, and she avoided Waverly’s eyes. Waverly leaned forward, instinctively reaching her hand out, resting it on the inside of Nicole’s knee as she tried to reassure the redhead.

“Years ago.” Nicole added hastily, her eyes flicking to Waverly’s hand. “I asked my Dad to give me away, but he wouldn’t do it. They... he, and my Mum... they said they couldn’t watch me fail them like that.”

“Fail them?” Waverly almost whispered, and she furrowed her brows, searching the redhead’s face for clarification. She stroked her thumb over Nicole’s knee absent mindedly.

“My parents are pretty... conservative. They wanted me to change. Fall in love with a man. They said it was lose Shay, or lose them.” The hurt in Nicole’s voice was still clear, but it was laced now with something new. Anger? Defiance? Waverly was entranced, and she couldn’t stop the words that fell from her mouth.

“And you chose her?”

Nicole’s eyes shot up to Waverly’s, the brunette’s heart skipping a beat at the strength now glowering behind them.

“I chose me.”

The words hooked Waverly, and she felt a physical pull towards Nicole as the redhead’s eyes explored her own. She held her breath as the author placed her hand over Waverly’s, lacing her fingers between her own, before continuing to speak.

“People tell us who we should be, and who we should love. We tell ourselves the same things. But we don’t all get to predefine that. And I figure that’s okay. I’m just going to keep being me. Keep choosing me.”

The strength now in Nicole’s voice was powerful, and Waverly’s head felt thick with... _what?_ Admiration. Awe. Lust? She studied Nicole’s face, realisation swimming in her mind as it made shameless connections between the words of Mia Semper, and the words of the author before her.

“And what happened? To Shay?”

Disappointment coursed through Waverly as Nicole’s eyes dropped to their hands, and she lifted hers away. Waverly hesitated, reluctant to break the contact. Her breath caught in her throat as the author’s fingers returned, raising goosebumps on her skin as they traced slowly over the back of her hand and her wrist.

“She left, before we married. We argued _a lot_. She asked me not to write anymore. Told me that I always had my head in another world.” Nicole laughed, her tone bittersweet. “It’s okay though, you know? Because I figure I lost myself in creating another world so that I didn’t have to spend every day regretting my own. I just didn’t know that then.”

Nicole grinned, her dimpled smile lifting the hushed tension, and Waverly released a breath she hadn’t realised she was holding.

“Besides, if I _hadn’t_ created that world, then what excuse would I have had to lure unbelievably attractive editors into my studio?” Nicole’s tone was mischievous, and she winked, dropping her eyes to Waverly’s lips. She shuffled, turning her body to face Waverly’s, the movement shifting their hands further up the redhead’s thigh.

Waverly’s heart pulsed in her ears, and she swallowed hard. Nicole’s thigh burned under her hand, and the darkened shade of the redhead’s eyes sent thick heat flooding through her body. The words, and the way the author was looking at her now sent a shiver down her spine. She grinned, despite herself.

“Editors?” Waverly smirked. “A plural?”

“Right...” Nicole bit her lip, nodding as she laughed. “Just one. Editor.”

“Ever the wordsmith, Haught.” Waverly laughed.

“Maybe sometimes words aren’t the best way to say what we need to say...”

Nicole’s voice was low, the husk instantly pooling desire in Waverly’s centre, and she parted her lips instinctively. The redhead’s gaze flicked between her eyes and her lips, and her fingers lingered for a moment longer over Waverly’s hand, before they were gone.

Waverly felt disorientated as Nicole stood, and through the thick haze she struggled to comprehend the loss of contact that left her skin cold and her chest heavy. _What was that?_

“It’s er...” Nicole cleared her throat, and Waverly blinked, trying to regain her composure as she turned to face the redhead. “It’s nearing midnight. I don’t want to be the reason for your sleepless nights.”

Disappointment and frustration swarmed in Waverly’s chest, and she didn’t dare to look the author directly in the eyes, embarrassment creeping over her cheeks. She glanced at Nicole’s mouth as the corners of her lips turned up into a telling, mischievous smirk. Waverly flicked her eyes up, the familiar playful sparkle behind pools of hazel triggering butterflies to multiply in her stomach.

“Yet.” Nicole grinned.

Waverly threw her head back, unable to supress the groan that tangled with her laugh. _For fuck sake, this girl._ She dragged herself from the sofa, shaking her head at Nicole’s smug grin as she followed her out of the cabin door, and down the fairy lit path to the gate.

The cold night air away from the cabin sobered the haze in Waverly’s mind, and she felt awkward as she faced the author, unsure of how to bid her goodnight. Nicole’s eyes looked darker still in the dim light of the terrace, and Waverly found she was afraid to hold their gaze for too long. She extended her hand, closing her eyes as Nicole took it in hers. She gasped softly, cold air and the scent of jasmine filling her lungs as warm, soft lips pressed lightly against her cheek. She opened her eyes slowly, her stomach flipping as they fell on flushed cheeks and darkened eyes, and Nicole ran her tongue gently between her own lips. The redhead chuckled nervously, clearing her throat as she let Waverly’s hand drop.

“Night Waves. Get home safe.”

************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Waverly flung herself onto the sofa in her living room, pulling a cushion over her face. Confusion and guilt seared through her, and she clutched at the cushion as she tried to process her thoughts. The familiar nagging feeling was growing, questions staring her in the face that she simply refused to ask herself. Nicole Haught was sexy. That was quite simple. God, _obviously_ she was hot. But that doesn’t mean anything. A crush is fine, we’re all humans; we’re all biology and chemistry. Right? But Waverly had wanted Nicole in that moment, and she knew she had. She had been utterly intoxicated, and Nicole had been the one to exercise control. So many feelings had coursed through her, and guilt hadn’t been one of them then. _Why?_ Why hadn’t Perry even crossed her mind? If she loved him.

Waverly groaned in frustration, and threw the cushion across the room. She couldn’t face her own mind, and she reached for her laptop, wincing as Nicole’s honest words rung in her ears.

_I figure I lost myself in creating another world so that I didn’t have to spend every day regretting my own._

She pulled the screen open, desperate to bury herself in Red Ribbon Frayed; to search within it for the words that would calm her racing mind.

_What is it that makes us think that something is meant for us? We seem prepared to spend our lives believing that our destiny is mapped for us, but what if it is in our moments of decision that our destiny is shaped? This code – it matches many, if I choose to make it. Will fate tell me if I’m wrong, or will I?_

************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Waverly jumped as Wynonna clumsily slapped a mug of coffee and a plate holding a muffin onto the table in front of her in the Earp’s family kitchen. She closed her laptop screen down as her sister took a seat opposite her, and ran her fingers through her hair. _Christ, did she not brush it this morning?_ She rubbed her eyes and turned them to Wynonna, wrapping her hands around the steaming mug in front of her. Wynonna’s eyes scanned her face, and she blushed as she saw them flicker to the toothpaste stain on the front of her black turtleneck jumper.

“You look different.” Wynonna’s voice was monotone, but the question behind it was clear in her wide eyes and raised eyebrows.

“Different how?” Waverly feigned her ignorance, dropping her eyes from her sister’s questioning gaze as she took a bite of her muffin.

“Just... different, have you been sleeping?”

Waverly felt a blush creep over her neck. She should have known her sister would see straight through her.

“I’ve just been a bit wrapped up in this manuscript, you know how I get.” She shrugged, and winced as she took a sip of her coffee. It was too hot, and the liquid burned her throat, but she needed the distraction.

“Yeah... Waves, I’ve known you a long-ass time.” Wynonna pursed her lips, her voice honeyed. “I have _always_ known you to fall in love with pages in a book, but I have never seen you this absorbed.” She laughed as Waverly dropped a piece of her muffin into her coffee, and shook her head. “Who’s written this thing?”

“Erm. Nicole Haught.” Waverly blushed, as realisation dawned on her that Wynonna would know exactly who this was. She huffed out a laugh, picking nervously at the chocolate chips in her muffin. “Do you remember that redhead from the changing rooms in the ...”

“Ginger Swayze!?” Wynonna practically shouted over her, slamming her palm on the table? “Are you fucking kidding me?” Her tone was higher pitched than usual, and she laughed loudly as she finished speaking.

“I might be starting to get that reference.” Waverly muttered under her breath, grimacing as her sister’s smirk and her raised eyebrow told her she’d heard it.

Waverly avoided Wynonna’s eyes as her sister leant back, and folded her arms across her chest, her eyes boring into Waverly’s face. She searched her brain for the words; the explanation as to why Nicole had her so hooked.

“Her story is so powerful.” Waverly felt goosebumps on her skin as she tried to reflect on the way Nicole and her words made her feel. “She’s so strong, and somehow unassuming. I mean... her character, I just feel...”

She chanced a look at her sister as she trailed off, unable to find the explanation she needed. Wynonna’s face softened as she took in the adrenaline fuelled flush to her sister’s cheeks, and the sparkle that had shone behind her deepened green eyes since Nicole’s name was mentioned.

“Okay, Babygirl... I think I might have some news for you here.”

Wynonna’s voice was softer than Waverly was used to, and she felt her heart flutter with anticipation.

“I know that you have your thing with authors and their words, but...” Wynonna paused, waiting for her sister to connect her eyes with hers. “Waves, this time I am so very certain it is _not_ those pages that you’re falling for.”

“Wynonna, I am _not_ falling for her. I’ve known her five minutes, and I am in a relationship!” Waverly’s retort was defensive, but even she could hear the doubt laced in her own voice. She took a deep breath, blowing the air out through pursed lips, and wrapped her hands around her coffee mug.

“Mmhmm.” Wynonna raised an eyebrow, her sympathetic smile softening Waverly’s defensive guard. “But you’ve known Perry for three years Babygirl, and I’ve never seen your eyes the colour they are right now.”

Waverly studied her sister’s eyes, the rare sincerity clear within them. Under the knowing gaze of the person who knew and loved her best in this world, she could feel her resolve starting to crumble, and she wasn’t ready.

“I love Perry...” The words were softly spoken, almost whispered; the uncertainty clear. “I... I can’t hurt him.”

Waverly’s own words hit her straight in the chest, and she fought the tears that stung behind her eyes.

“You gotta live for you, baby sis.” Wynonna placed her hand over Waverly’s. “Figure this out, only for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly less confident in my writing with this one! Please do let me know if you think I can make bits better :)


	5. Set Me Alight

_Mia held her breath as she waited for Sophie’s response. She watched in anticipation as her friend’s eyes scanned her shoulder, taking in the lines and curves that made up her incomplete code. Panic started to run cold in Mia’s body as she struggled to read the expression on Sophie’s face. Her eyes were wide, something behind them unsettling Mia. Was that fear? Mia let out a shaky breath as Sophie reached forward, tracing her fingers softly over the lines of the code. She felt goosebumps rise on her skin under her friend’s touch and shivered, suddenly feeling exposed._

_“I’ve tried for so long to understand what this means for me, Soph.” Mia’s voice was soft, barely a whisper. She pulled her shirt back over her skin, her fingers trembling as she fastened the buttons. The movement seemed to break Sophie’s trance, and her blue eyes rose to meet Mia’s._

_“Your code... it...” Sophie finally spoke, her voice strained. Moisture welled in Sophie’s eyes, and Mia felt her heart drop to her stomach. “Mia, it’s...” She trailed off, a single tear running down her cheek._

_Mia opened her mouth to speak, but no words formed in her brain. She had laid herself bare to her friend, and she feared now that she had made the wrong decision. Mia froze as Sophie made to speak again, but stopped. Her hand drifted slowly to the sleeve of her trademark oversized T-Shirt, and Mia’s breath caught in her throat. She had never seen Sophie’s code! Holy shit. How had she never seen the code? She’d been so wrapped up in her own mysteries that she’d never even realised. Mia’s heart pounded in her chest as Sophie’s fingers rose over her arm, pulling the sleeve of the T-Shirt along with it._

_“Oh my god...”_

_Mia’s words spilled from her lips in a hushed gasp as Sophie pulled the sleeve over her shoulder, and her eyes fell on her friend’s code for the first time. A series of incomplete lines and curves, not unlike her own. She felt the sting of tears prick in her eyes as she studied the lines in Sophie’s skin. The shapes were different to the ones on her own shoulder, but not entirely. Several of the pieces matched directly, and others were counterparts. Parts that could complete Mia’s shapes if they were placed together. Tears spilled from her eyes and she ran her fingers over Sophie’s skin, a singular thought spinning round in her mind._

_I’m not alone._

Waverly dragged her cursor over the paragraph on her screen, marking the text in green. This was the kind of emotion that she needed Mia to display throughout. Nicole seemed only to write Mia’s emotion in relation to Sophie, and this was what was missing in her interactions with her relationships. Waverly needed this relatability in Mia in her search for her soulmate; to understand how she felt to realise she hadn’t found the one. She felt her chest pull, as once again her own doubts tugged at her mind, and she pushed them away. She couldn’t deal with this now, not while Perry was away. It didn’t seem fair.

Waverly’s phone buzzed on the desk beside her, Nicole’s name running through the blue bar at the top of her screen. She grinned as she flicked the message open, then furrowed her brows in confusion at the content. A photo – a hot tub nestled in the corner of the porch deck of a house, fairy lights strung above it. The steam was visible rising up around a bottle of beer perched on the ledge. As Waverly studied the image, the phone buzzed again.

_Meeting #3? ;) Meet me here at 7? =p X_

Waverly swallowed hard as images flashed of Nicole, steam dampening her hair and raising a sheen across her skin, her curves visible below the haze of the water. She slammed her eyes shut, willing the images to fade. Her fingers trembling, she shot back her response.

_That is 100% NOT a meeting, Haught! x_

Almost immediately, the phone buzzed again. Waverly’s shoulders dropped and she grinned, shaking her head as she read the words. Relentless!

_Then it’s a date ;) x_

She studied the image again, squinting as she tried to identify why the location looked familiar. She fired another message.

_Hold up, is that in your yard!?_

A moment later, another image graced her screen; a self-taken photo of Nicole, her grinning face and bare shoulders to the side of the screen. She held the beer in her hand as she sat back in the hot tub, the cabin containing her office visible behind her.

Images seared again through Waverly’s mind; the silk of water allowing skin to glide easily over skin as she straddled Nicole’s lap, twisting her fingers in damp red hair. She indulged the fantasy for a moment longer than she should have, letting heat sink through her core as she imagined pulling the redhead’s lips to her own, rocking her hips against her. Waverly clenched her thighs, pushed her chair back and dragged herself to her feet. She needed a coffee, and a distraction. She took a few steps towards the kitchenette, then turned and grabbed her phone. She tapped the reply in, her fingers light as she fought to control her body’s impulses.

_Your office, 7pm. I’ll bring takeout. X_

She sighed, a small smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. Nicole Haught would be the death of her if she wasn’t careful. She grinned as she typed a follow on message.

_And I will NOT be bringing a bathing suit!_

Nicole’s reply was instant, and a blush seared over Waverly’s cheeks as she processed the double meaning of her last message.

_... now that definitely sounds like a date. ;) x_

She punched her reply in, flustered heat rising in her chest as embarrassment laced with her desire.

_A clothed meeting, in your office. Behave. ;) x_

Waverly turned her phone over, pushing it face down onto her desk. She took a deep breath, and headed for the kitchen. She was all too aware that she was treading dangerous waters, and that she ought to stand firm and hold her meetings with Nicole in the publishing office. During the damn day. Waverly flicked the switch on the coffee machine, and tapped her fingers on the counter as she waited restlessly. She knew why she hadn’t pushed for that. The heavy pulse of her heightened heart rate in her chest, the butterflies in her stomach, the ache between her thighs, and the damp material of her underwear told her _exactly_ why she hadn’t.

Waverly’s phone buzzed again in her pocket, and she pulled it out. Perry’s name and his assigned image flashed on her screen, indicating a video call. She hadn’t spoken with Perry since yesterday morning, and she felt guilt hit her chest as she realised she hadn’t even responded to his latest text messages. Not since she’d seen Wynonna. Waverly winced as the guilt took its hold, and then forced a smile over her face as she dragged the call button to answer.

Perry’s beaming face filled her screen, and Waverly felt the familiar comfort of her boyfriend’s presence ebb away at her resolve. A genuine grin took the place of her forced smile. Through whatever was going on in Waverly’s head right now, Perry was a good guy and she loved him. _She just wasn’t in love with him._ She balked as the words flashed through her mind, and she fought to control her expression as Perry’s brows furrowed on the screen before her. _Not now._

“You okay Waves? Am I interrupting something?” Perry’s face filled with concern, and Waverly cursed herself for her wayward emotions.

“Yeah! No. Sorry, I was worlds away when you called. How are you doing? I miss you.” Waverley honeyed her voice, wincing instinctively as the words left her lips. Did she miss him? She wasn’t sure she did. Tears stung the back of her eyes as she fought to close the floodgates of doubt that Wynonna had opened for her.

“I miss you too baby. It’s been so crazy here, I feel like I’ve barely spoken to you.” Perry’s voice was soft, and he shrugged, giving Waverly a small smile.

Waverly felt an irrational surge of resentment for Wynonna, and for Nicole, blaming them for the guilt and the confusion that filled her head. She studied the screen, and the face of her long term boyfriend, desperate to feel again the familiar comfort that she was used to feeling in hearing his voice.

“How is the conference?” Waverly prompted, wanting Perry to lead the conversation; to buy her time to get her head in order.

“It’s been good.” Perry’s eyes lit up, his passion flaring in his voice. Waverly grinned, feeling her tension drop. “There’s been so much interest in Haught’s book. Far more than I anticipated.”

Nicole’s name triggered its instinctive reaction in Waverly’s stomach, and she tensed. The guilt hit her in full force, and she heard the strain in her own voice as she forced her reply.

“That’s... really great!”

Compassion flooded her as she watched Perry grin widely. Perry was her safe space, did that not mean she loved him? Waverly’s mind swam, the emotions overwhelming her. Was she crossing her wires? Was she confusing guilt with love?

“How’s it coming along? The book? Working with Nicole?”

Waverly felt nauseous, uncomfortable heat sweeping over her skin. Everything she understood about her relationship was under siege, and she didn’t know how to process it without Perry here. She needed to see him in the flesh; to feel his presence. To know.

“Waves, are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah... no. Look baby I’m sorry, I just a little tied up right now.” The disappointment in Perry’s face broke Waverly, and she felt the bitter sting of tears hit the back of her eyes. She fought them back, feeling her voice shake. “What time are you home tomorrow? We can... we can really catch up then?”

“Sure... erm. I’ll be home around six. And uh... I’m always here baby, okay?”

Waverly let the tears flow as she slipped her phone into her pocket. When she thought of hurting Perry, the guilt overwhelmed her. Did she confuse that with love for him? Did she confuse it with uncertainty in her own feelings? Waverly’s limbs all but twitched as she made her coffee. She felt on edge, and she couldn’t switch her body off. She glanced at the clock. It was 3pm. She would work until four today, and then she would go for a run before she met with Nicole. Christ knows she needed the release.

Waverly slumped into her desk chair, and took a few deep breaths. She turned back to the manuscript, desperate for her mind to focus on another world. She searched frantically for the appeasement that she needed, frustration surging through her over the lack of answers that Mia Semper gave her.

***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Waverly’s feet pounded the ground as she ran, the familiar burn in her chest growing heavier. The headphones in her ears told her she’d passed the five mile mark in 44 minutes. She pushed herself harder, the ache in her legs and the burn in her chest a welcome distraction from the chaos in her mind.

The manuscript had flown around in her mind for five miles, the words familiar to her now after hours of poring over them. She felt irrationally angry with Nicole for not providing her with the solidarity that she needed right now. She needed the release of reading her own battles written across the pages, and Mia denied her of that. Mia made it look so easy, to decide that the person she thought could be her soulmate was in fact not, and to switch off her feelings and leave. Did she not feel the guilt that Waverly felt? The uncertainty? The loss, of the life she thought was the one she always wanted?

The exertion fuelled adrenaline did nothing to stem Waverly’s frustrations, and she pushed her legs harder over the last half a mile. She collapsed through her gate as the headphones read 6.5 miles in 58 minutes. She flung herself into the shower, the sting of cold water only agitating her further. She would be early to Nicole’s, but she didn’t care. She needed to express her feelings, and Nicole needed to hear them.

***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Waverly hammered on the door of the cabin, her fists clenched as she waited impatiently for Nicole to answer. She knew she was early, but her irritation hadn’t waned, and she’d rushed over as soon as she was ready. She hammered again, and fished her phone from her pocket, her fingers punching the screen to pull up Nicole’s name. Waverly was aware that her agitation was irrational, but she was fast running out of outlets and she didn’t know how else to manage it.

“Hey, Waves, I was just...”

Nicole’s voice answered the phone, and Waverly cut her off immediately.

“It’s not realistic, Nicole! How can she just decide that the code is wrong, and up and leave? Doesn’t she feel anything? Doesn’t she have responsibilities? Morals? A conscience?” Waverly let the words tumble from her lips, not bothering to hide the aggravation or the distress from her voice.

“Waverly?” Nicole’s bewildered attempt to interject was futile, and Waverly continued, her volume increasing to drown out Nicole’s voice.

“No! She doesn’t get to just do what she wants, or who she wants, and not face the consequences. People spend years building a life because it’s what they fucking wanted. Do you not understand how fucking _terrifyin_ g it is to recognize in a moment that you’ve been wrong _all this fucking time_?” She hammered again. “Open your _fucking_ door!”

Footsteps on the path behind her caused Waverly to spin, dropping the phone from her ear. Her resolve broke, and tears pooled in her eyes as Nicole approached her cautiously, her concerned eyes searching Waverly’s face. As the redhead reached the cabin terrace, Waverly felt the tears escape, trickling slowly down her cheeks. Nicole pulled her in, wrapping her arms around her, and Waverly instinctively buried her face in the redhead’s shoulder. She gripped the back of Nicole’s shirt, the closeness of the author’s body and the tight hold of her arms soothing the tension that had racked Waverly all afternoon. She felt her body relax, her shoulders dropping as Nicole squeezed her gently.

Waverly took a deep breath, composing herself as Nicole pulled back to look at her. Her deep hazel eyes were sympathetic, and Waverly felt a rush of affection for the redhead as she gave a reassuring smile. Nicole cupped Waverly’s cheek gently, wiping away a stray tear with a brush of her thumb. Waverly let out a shaky breath, leaning into the touch.

“I uh... I don’t live in there, Waves.” Nicole’s lips turned into a small smirk and she gave a nod towards the cabin door. “You can always call at the house, you don’t _need_ to break my door down.” She grinned, her dimples flipping Waverly’s stomach with ease. Waverly laughed, a wave of relief hitting her hard as the haze of emotion lifted.

Nicole led her into the cabin, and Waverly sank onto the sofa. She felt exhausted, but her head felt clearer somehow. She grinned as she watched Nicole take two beers from the fridge, popping the caps off on the edge of the counter.

“I’m sorry that Mia didn’t help you when you needed her.” Nicole handed Waverly a bottle as she sat down beside her, both bodies twisted so they faced each other. “As my editor, maybe you should tell me what she’s missing?”

Relieved of the red mist of her frustration, Waverly found her body responding once again to the closeness of the author. Nicole’s deep blue shirt was buttoned low enough for Waverly to struggle to hold her gaze, and she bit her lip as her eyes dropped. Nicole’s eyebrow cocked and her lips turned up in a smirk as Waverly sheepishly dragged her eyes back to meet her gaze.

Waverly relayed the questions noted in her journal, her agitation lifting more with each word she spoke.

“Honestly... I think I just wanted her to tell me how to feel. I’ve kind of been making a bit of a mess of it on my own.” Waverly shrugged, breathing out a laugh. Nicole was so close to her, the scent of her perfume making Waverly’s head spin. Intense hazel eyes bore into her own as Nicole listened, and Waverly could swear she could feel them burning.

“Waves, I know you don’t have all the answers right now, but...”

Nicole reached her hand out, placing it gently on the inside of Waverly’s thigh. The touch seared on Waverly’s skin, and she felt adrenaline pool in her stomach. She didn’t have the energy anymore, to compose herself; to fight. She fixed her gaze on pools of hazel, desire darkening them to chocolate as the redhead took in the change in Waverly’s eyes.

“I do know that the only reason that I don’t have the answers, is because I’ve been too scared to ask myself the right questions.” Waverly spoke slowly, the husk in her voice raising goosebumps over Nicole’s skin.

Waverly traced her eyes over the flushed skin of Nicole’s neck and her chest, her breathing growing heavier as she drank in the signs of need in the author’s body. She reached her hand forward to stroke her fingers over the back of Nicole’s wrist, repeating the redhead’s actions from the last time they were here. She smirked as Nicole swallowed hard, the lust in her eyes pooling heat between Waverly’s legs. She dropped her voice.

“It’s just that... the things that you make me feel. The things that you say...”

Waverly shivered as Nicole stroked her fingers over her thigh, making no attempt to stifle the soft gasp that the redhead’s actions elicited. She bit her lip as she watched Nicole close her eyes for a moment, telling her she’d felt Waverly shudder under her fingers. The fire behind dark eyes when she opened them connected straight to Waverly’s core, and she leaned forward instinctively.

“The way that you look at me....”

Nicole dragged her nails harder over Waverly’s thigh as the brunette spoke, and she couldn’t stop the soft moan that escaped her lips. She dropped her eyes to Nicole’s hand.

“And the way that you touch me...”

Waverly flicked her eyes back to Nicole’s, feeling desire pulse heavier in her centre as she took in the now hooded, dark pools of chocolate. Nicole’s full lips were parted, and she leaned closer, her flushed chest heaving as she strained to keep her control. Waverly smirked, sliding her hand onto the back of Nicole’s neck, pulling her in close.

“Always so fucking... _flammable_.”

Waverly breathed the words over Nicole’s lips, the redhead’s huff of arousal coursing through her, connecting with her own. She ran her nails over Nicole’s neck, their lips millimetres apart. The author’s hands ran over Waverly’s thighs, gripping her hips as the brunette brushed her lips lightly against the redhead’s. Nicole groaned, her hands running between their bodies, pushing Waverly back.

“Waverly... wait.” Nicole’s voice was low, arousal thick in her hoarse whisper.

Her lidded eyes closed and her fists clenched as she fought for her own control. Waverly’s stomach spun and a jolt of fear ran through her. Had she pushed it too far?

“I can’t be your regrets, Waves... I need to be something that you’re sure of.”

Nicole forced her eyes open, and Waverly’s heart sank at the uncertainty within them. She twisted her fingers in the open spread of Nicole’s shirt, grounding herself against the redhead as she spoke.

“Look, I know that I’m still figuring things out right now, but...” She traced her fingers over Nicole’s cheek, holding her close with the hand gripped around the shirt.

“I do know, that you’re always the centre of adrenaline.” Waverly’s fingers danced over Nicole’s lips, her arousal increasing as the uncertainty in dark eyes faded, fire burning behind it. “And I... when I say his name, Nic, it...” Waverly fixed her eyes on Nicole’s, running the fingers of both hands over the redhead’s body to lace around her neck. “It never tastes the way that yours does.”

Waverly pulled Nicole’s lips to hers, butterflies turning somersaults in her stomach as she felt the author kiss her back. The kiss was slow, almost tentative, until Nicole wrapped her arms around Waverly’s waist, and the brunette allowed herself to be pulled onto the redhead’s lap. She tugged her fingers through tousled hair, pulling Nicole deeper into the kiss. She ran her tongue over Nicole’s lower lip, feeling arousal overwhelm her as the redhead moaned, granting her access. Nicole’s fingers running over her sides, up under the hem of her shirt were driving Waverly crazy, and she rolled her hips, releasing a groan into the kiss. As her need thickened, Waverly broke the kiss, trailing her lips over Nicole’s jawline. 

“Waves...” Nicole’s voice was breathless, the hoarse tone almost gravel. “Waverly... we have to stop.”

Waverly groaned, dragging her nails over Nicole’s chest as she steadied herself. She knew the author was right, but the searing heat overpowering her body was too much for her to resist. She kissed her again, pulling her bottom lip gently between her teeth, smirking at Nicole’s groan as she broke away again.

“Waverly we have to stop, or I won’t be able to.”

The words sparked in Waverly’s core, and she buried her face in Nicole’s neck with a groan. The thought of the redhead losing her control was almost too much for Waverly to handle, and she gripped tightly onto her shirt as she gathered her composure.

“I...” Waverly cleared her throat, releasing her hold on Nicole as she sat back. “I need to go. If I stay now...”

“Dangerous...” Nicole nodded, her dimpled grin so much sexier with swollen lips, set in flushed cheeks. As Waverly stood, she followed, cocking an eyebrow. “Does... this one count as a date?”

Waverly laughed, hooking her fingers over Nicole’s belt and pulling her in to kiss her.

“I don’t think it would be appropriate for me to call this one a meeting, so... I think I can let you have it this time.” She grinned as she pulled away, breaking the contact.

Nicole’s eyes sparkled as she laughed, and she pulled a fist by her side in a celebratory gesture as Waverly reached for the door. As they reached the gate, the cold air sobered the lust filled haze as it always did, and Nicole’s voice was sincere when she spoke.

“I can’t do this while you’re with him, Waves.”

Waverly took Nicole’s hand in hers, not quite ready to lose the physical contact. She dropped her eyes to the floor, her heart sinking as she processed the conversation she was going to have to have when Perry returned.

“He’s home tomorrow. I’m going to talk to him, Nic.”

Waverly gasped as Nicole hooked her finger under her chin, raising her face. Her eyes were warm, but traces of lust still danced behind them as she leaned to capture Waverly’s lips in a soft kiss.

“I will never push you Waves, I understand that you’re confused. But I... I’ll be here when you figure out what you need to figure out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all of your comments! It's the best bit for me, seeing what you all think of it! Please keep them coming, good or bad! :)


	6. Burn in Blazes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was an emotional rollercoaster to write! I'm exhausted ha.
> 
> This was planned initially as one chapter, but as I started to write it the content kept coming, and it's ended up significantly longer than the others (pretty much three times as long).
> 
> I split it into two, and chapter 6 then just felt empty, and it didn't fill what I'd planned for it to fill.
> 
> So after some deliberation, here - have a triple chapter in one!

Waverly jumped as the front door thudded shut, and nausea swept over her in an instant as the nerves and the reality hit her. Perry was home, and it was time to face this. Whatever the outcome, they needed to have this conversation. She closed her laptop down, her legs shaking as she stood, making her way into the hall to find Perry.

Waverly leant in the doorway, out of Perry’s sight, watching him quietly as he placed his bags at the foot of the stairs and removed his coat and his shoes. He looked different to her now, familiar and unfamiliar all at the same time. Waverly’s heart sank as she understood that her confusion had lifted, and what she saw now were her true feelings painted before her.

Perry turned and she stepped forward, swallowing hard as his face broke into a grin and he moved towards her.

“Here she is! Come here, baby!”

Waverly threw her arms around her boyfriend, burying her face in his chest as she gripped him tightly to her. Every part of her body felt heavy, and she dug her fingers into Perry’s back, clutching at the last moments before she knew she would break his heart.

Perry pulled back, brushing her hair from her face, and kissed her firmly. Waverly tensed, her stomach dropping as she remembered the last lips to embrace her own and she pulled away, unable to meet Perry’s eyes. She turned, heading into the living room, hoping Perry would follow suit. She heard him hesitate behind her and she panicked, knowing he had sensed something was wrong. Guilt drove her, and she wanted to say something to reassure him; to prolong his contented unawareness for a little longer.

“Come and tell me about the conference! We’ve barely spoken, I want to hear about it.” Waverly steadied her voice, praying Perry wouldn’t hear the forced composure behind it. Her stomach was in knots, and the bubble of nausea in her chest was growing thicker with every moment.

Perry sat cautiously at first beside her, but as he began to talk, his voice lifted and his eyes relaxed. Waverly watched his face; the unassuming kindness in his eyes, and the boyish half grin that played on his lips whenever he talked about something that was important to him. She adored Perry. She knew she did and nothing in her regretted her life with him, but she understood now as she watched him that Wynonna had been right. She’d seen it before Waverly had. She felt none of the fire or the passion that she felt around Nicole, and she never had. Being with Perry didn’t make her feel alive. She swallowed hard as he trailed off, and she knew she couldn’t prolong this any longer.

“Waverly...”

Perry’s voice was hushed and his eyes were on hers. The insecurity within them crushed in Waverly’s chest and she fought against her guilt. Fought against the urge to tell him everything was fine; to make his eyes shine again.

“Babe, I know you. I know you better than I know myself, and I’ve been waiting so anxiously to come home to you because I know something’s wrong. Talk to me, please?” Perry urged her, his voice laced with fear and concern.

Tears stung Waverly’s eyes, and her throat felt tight. She struggled to swallow, trying to press the chokes of grief down. She didn’t want the tears to fall, not yet. Perry deserved to hear this clearly; deserved to form his own emotions, and she knew that if she broke then he would rush to comfort her. She took a deep breath, her voice shaky as she spoke.

“I’m sorry, Perry. I’ve... I’ve been so confused.”

“Why? About what?” Perry moved towards her, taking her hand in his, his voice laced with compassion and concern.

“About... this.” Waverly fought to keep her voice steady, the break in it raising her pitch. “About us.”

She pulled her hand away, the touch making her too hot under Perry’s anxious gaze. 

“I love you Perry.” She forced herself to look him in the eyes, the confused hurt in them welling her own with tears. “I do, but I just feel like something’s been missing. Like... like something _is_ missing.”

“What’s missing?” Perry’s voice shook, and Waverly dropped her gaze to the floor as the tears spilled over. “You can tell me, Waves, we can figure this out.”

The desperation in Perry’s voice as he clutched at his relationship was acid in Waverly’s ears, and she clasped her arms around herself, trying to hold her resolve together. She choked back a sob as Perry dropped to the floor in front of her, urging her to look at him.

“What do you need me to be? I’ll be it.”

“It’s something in _me_ , Perry. I... I don’t know that there’s anything you need to change. Anything that you _could_ change.” Waverly fumbled for her words, desperate to find the ones that would hurt the least. Why couldn’t Perry be angry? She could deal with anger, but the hurt in his face was breaking her.

“Do you need space, Wave? I won’t... I’m not going anywhere. I love you. Take time, if you need. Figure this out?” Tears pooled in Perry’s eyes as he reached again for Waverly’s hand.

Waverly studied his face, his words ringing in her head. Did she need space? Would a break work, to clear her head? Could this be something she could pass, and she could feel comfortable again? If she could... would she want to? Nicole’s eyes flashed in her mind. Her smile. The way she so easily released the anger and the frustration that Waverly felt. The way she made her feel so empowered. The way she drew her in - mind and body. The burn of her skin as Nicole’s hands roamed her body. _No_. She wouldn’t. She understood too much now. She couldn’t.

Perry’s face fell as she fixed her gaze on his, tears streaming down her cheeks. Waverly’s breath caught in her throat and she choked it out as Perry stood, the realisation dawning on him that this was it.

“I’m so sorry... I can’t, Perry. Not anymore.” Waverly’s voice was barely a whisper, broken as she spoke through her tears.

“I don’t understand. Where has this come from? Why? Why won’t you try?” Frustration started to seep into Perry’s voice as he grasped for the answers, and Waverly buried her face in her hands. She didn’t want to tell him any more; didn’t want to hurt him any more.

“I... I don’t know what to tell you. I love you... just... not how I should do.” The words were feeble, and Waverly knew it. Fear racked her body as she searched for the right way to tell Perry how she really felt.

“Is there someone else, Waverly?”

Perry’s voice was low, almost cold, and Waverly knew he was trying to process his thoughts. She felt guilt sear through her chest, and her blood ran cold. If she didn’t tell him, he wouldn’t understand, and he’d blame himself. If she told him, she’d hurt him more than she needed to, and this wasn’t about Nicole. Not really. She clutched at her words, stalling for time, trying to pick apart her own emotions.

“Perry, don’t... this isn’t about that.”

“So yes?” Perry fired back, the frustration clear in his voice once more.

“I’ve had this feeling... this nagging feeling in my mind for so long, always feeling like I’m on the outside of my life, looking in...”

Waverly stopped. If she explained in too much detail then Perry would question their whole relationship, but... he needed to know. She owed him that much. Perry deserved to understand, and he deserved to wrap his own mind around the truth. Waverly took a deep breath, fear fighting against her as she breathed out the words.

“I think... I think I’m gay, Perry.”

“ _What?”_

Shock started to build frustration into anger in Perry’s voice, as he struggled to absorb the words that Waverly had said.

“Since _when_ the fuck have you been gay? Waverly where is this coming from?”

Waverly felt the hairs on her neck stand on end as anxiety gripped her. She didn’t have the answers that Perry needed, and every word she said seemed to hurt him more. The guilt was starting to frustrate her, and she wanted this to be over. She needed Perry to understand. She no longer had the energy to process her thoughts, and she let the words tumble from her lips.

“I... always, I think. I don’t know, Perry, I’m still working everything out and I’ve never met anyone before to make me question it, but...”

Waverly trailed off, cold panic seeping through her as she realised how that sentence would need to end.

“Before WHAT Waverly?”

Perry’s raised voice burned hot, and Waverly avoided his eyes. She knew he was struggling to handle his emotions, hurt and confusion manifesting as anger. He paced the floor, stopping before her as he waited for an answer. She turned her eyes to his, her stomach turning as she saw recognition flicker through them.

“Wait... Haught? Before _Nicole Haught?”_

Waverly winced, the name sounding venomous in Perry’s voice. She opened her mouth to reply, hesitating for a moment too long as she fought for the right words.

“Are you _serious_? I’ve been gone for _five fucking days_ , Waverly!”

He paced for a moment, running his hands through his hair. Waverly watched him, wanting nothing more than to reassure him, helplessness tangling with her guilt. She felt numb. She didn’t have the words she needed, and she was exhausted. Things had come too far, and she had nothing that she could do or say to take the hurt away from Perry now.

“I can’t... I can’t believe this is happening.” Perry’s voice was quiet, thick with emotion. He slumped on the armchair, burying his head in his hands.

“It’s never been your fault, Perry. I’m so sorry.” Waverly whispered. She dragged herself to her feet, no longer able to watch the hurt in the man she’d thought she loved.

“I’m... I’m gunna stay with Wynonna for a while. I’ll pack some things and be gone tonight.”

Waverly headed for the stairs, glancing back at Perry as his quiet tears fell into his hands. She let her own fall freely, wrapping her arms around herself as she turned away.

*********************************************************************************

Waverly hauled her suitcase up onto the porch of the Earp homestead. The cold air burned the red raw skin around her eyes, but it was clear, and it lifted the heavy thud from her head. She pulled the handle, lugging her case behind her through the door of her childhood home. Inside the familiar warmth of the entrance hall, Waverly felt the tension ebb away in her body. It smelt like home here, and she breathed a sigh of relief as she heard her sister’s voice call through the hallway.

“Waverly, that you?”

Wynonna skidded through the doorway before Waverly could answer. Concern spread across her face as she took in her sister’s reddened eyes and puffed cheeks.

“Waves, what... _oh._ ” Wynonna’s voice fell as her gaze landed on Waverly’s suitcase, understanding pooling into her eyes. Waverly shrugged and nodded, offering her sister a small pursed smile.

“Hey, come here.” Wynonna pulled her into a hug, running her fingers through her hair as she held her close. “I’m proud of you Babygirl. That was... pretty brave.”

Waverly squeezed her sister gently, blinking back her tears. She was grateful to be home, and already she felt further away from the tension and the emotion that she’d felt in her place with Perry. She relaxed her arms as Wynonna pulled away, gesturing at the suitcase.

“Let’s get that upstairs. I’ve had your room ready for months.” Wynonna winked, her tone teasing as she gave Waverly a cheeky grin.

Waverly shook her head, unable to control the smile that spread across her face for the first time that evening. An evening with her sister was exactly what she needed right now, and she could already feel the weight lifting from her chest.

“And then we are going to need a bottle of whiskey, several blankets, and a lit fire.” Wynonna grinned, hoisting the suitcase up, carrying it with ease as she bustled past Waverly towards the stairs.

As they entered Waverly’s room, she heaved a sigh, her shoulders finally dropping. There was something so reassuring about coming home to a place that never changes, no matter how long you’ve been gone. No matter what path she’d taken, or what decisions she’d made, she knew she could always come back here and the windows would still be draped with chiffon fabrics and the strings of lights would still hang above the pillow-laden bed. Always a reminder of who she was when she lived here last.

“You gunna be okay?”

Wynonna’s soft voice broke through Waverly’s thoughts, and she turned to her sister and nodded, giving her a warm smile.

“Wrap up warm. Come down when you’re ready.”

As Wynonna’s footsteps faded, Waverly scanned her eyes once again across her childhood room. Being here calmed her, and the thick haze of emotion was starting to lift from her mind. She closed her eyes, pushing back the thoughts of Perry, and how he must be feeling. She couldn’t face that now, and she needed to focus on her own head. As Waverly traced her fingers over the quilts and the pillows that scattered her bed, she realised for the first time how relieved she felt to be here. To finally have her answers. To have been honest with herself, and honest with Perry. She knew the hurt was far from over, but she’d done what she needed to do and the weight that lifted from her shoulders felt good.

When Waverly made her way downstairs, she found Wynonna already out by the fire. She had two large wooden garden chairs pulled up just close enough to the flames, each laden with blankets. As Waverly buried herself into the chair beside her sister, Wynonna handed her the whiskey bottle.

“Feels kinda good to be home.” Waverly grinned, taking a swig from the bottle. She grimaced as the first hit of the whiskey burned her throat, the warmth that spread through her chest a welcome relief from the bitter air.

“What broke the camel’s back then sis?”

Wynonna’s tone was interested without being pushy, and Waverly felt a surge of affection for her sister. Talking to Wynonna was easy. She would take as little or as much as Waverly was prepared to tell her, and she never demanded more. Waverly took another swig of the whiskey, her weary eyes captivated by the flicker of the flames in front of her.

“Turns out, I’m kind of a little bit gay.”

She tore her eyes from the flames to look at her sister, breaking into a grin. Wynonna smirked and raised an eyebrow, nodding her head in approval. Waverly pushed the bottle towards her sister, and Wynonna took it, swilling the liquid around in her hand.

“Who knew?” Wynonna grinned, taking a swig from the bottle. “Which brings me to my next question – where we at with a certain smouldering redhead?” Amusement and curiosity laced Wynonna’s voice, and her inquisitive eyes were fixed on Waverly.

Waverly huffed out a half laugh, turning her eyes back to the flames.

“I... told her she was fire, and kissed her ‘til she demanded I behave.”

Waverly grinned, taking the bottle back and gulping the liquid as Wynonna laughed.

“Waverly Earp! You absolute dark horse.” Wynonna’s eyes widened momentarily before creasing as she grinned, and she grabbed the bottle, tilting it in Waverly’s direction before taking another sip. “Amazing!”

Waverly laughed openly. It felt good to talk about Nicole with someone, and she was grateful to Wynonna for not demanding the details of tonight’s events. For knowing her well enough to understand, without needing the words.

“I don’t know though, Wynonna, I feel like... should I be pulling back for a while? Isn’t that kinda the done thing? Find myself before I throw myself into something new?” The reluctance in Waverly’s voice was clear, and she watched her sister hopefully. She knew what answer she wanted, but she couldn’t help but feel like maybe she was expected to wait for a while, clear her head.

Wynonna furrowed her eyebrows, and fixed her stern gaze on Waverly’s eyes. She pushed the bottle into Waverly’s hands, gesturing at her to drink.

“Okay. Listen here. Since when do Earps do ‘ _the done thing_?’ Any one of your friends could tell you that you should ‘think before you leap’, ‘search your soul’, ‘take some _you_ time’.” Wynonna’s fingers air quoted each of the phrases, her voice sugared in mock disapproval. “But you came to me, baby sis. I _know you_ , and I would NOT be doing my sisterly job if I agreed with you right now.”

Waverly swigged the bottle, watching her sister in grateful amusement, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips as Wynonna continued.

“Playing it safe is exactly what’s led us here in the first place, and _you_... you have it bad for our Haught-to-trot author. So why wait?”

Waverly grinned, a slight blush crawling over her cheeks at her older sister’s words. Wynonna’s eyes softened, and she studied Waverly’s face.

“It’s just me and you here now Wave.” Wynonna gestured around them, her voice now lower and gentler. “There’s no-one here to hurt. So tell me. How do you feel, now you’ve left Perry?” She took the bottle from Waverly, and leant forward to tend to the fire with a poker. “Come on, hit me. I want unbridled and honest.”

Waverly felt another rush of fondness for her sister, and sunk back as she relaxed into the chair. Wynonna could be brash, but her brutal honesty was often a breath of fresh air, and she’d definitely needed this tonight. She took a deep breath. How did she feel?

“Honestly... I feel _relief_. I think maybe I’m a little numb, but right now... the only pain I feel is guilt.” Waverly winced as the guilt washed over her again at her words, and Wynonna pushed the bottle back to her, nodding at her to drink. “It was the right thing to do, I know that.”

Wynonna nodded, the sympathy in her eyes dragging bubbling feelings of guilt back through Waverly’s stomach. Then the sympathetic gaze was gone, a mischievous glint in its place, and Wynonna grinned.

“Now tell me how you feel when I say Nicole’s name?”

Instantly the name took its effect on Waverly, and in the comfort of Wynonna’s company a huge grin spread across her face. She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth as Wynonna laughed openly, the reflection of the fire making her eyes sparkle.

“Christ. Ew.” Wynonna quipped with a smirk, reaching for the whiskey.

Waverly grinned, dodging Wynonna’s grip and taking another gulp before allowing her to take the bottle.

“I’m... excited! I’ve got butterflies. I miss her, is that weird?” She laughed, relief flooding her body. It felt _so_ good to say these things out loud.

Wynonna grinned and cocked an eyebrow, holding the bottle up in the air, as if in toast.

“Get it, babygirl. And welcome home.”

**********************************************************************************

Waverly squinted as the morning sun glared through her bedroom window. She rolled onto her back and pulled the pillow over her head, trying to shut out the light. It felt weird to wake up at home, almost like she’d never left. It felt so far away from everything with Perry and for a brief moment, she forgot. Waverly’s chest grew heavy with guilt as the memory crawled back into her sleep-shrouded mind and she groaned, throwing her arms around the pillow on her face. She hoped Perry was doing okay, and that he hadn’t spent the night alone.

Waverly threw the pillow to the side and dragged herself upright. She rubbed her hands over her eyes and through her hair, as she took stock of her emotions. She felt guilty, she knew that much. Her heart ached every time she thought of Perry, and of the life she had taken from him, and the tears stung now as she reflected on it. But in herself? She felt ... _okay_ , and that in turn made her feel guiltier. Shouldn’t she feel more... bereft, somehow? She glanced at the clock on her nightstand. It was 7am. The latest she’d slept in months. That was a sign, right?

She tossed the blankets to the side and climbed out of bed, heading for the shower. She had to focus on her own feelings for her own sanity, and her mood this morning was unexpectedly lifted. She hadn’t realised how much weight she’d carried for so long, keeping this pushed down inside her, and the freedom felt surprisingly empowering. Waverly turned the dial on the shower, grinning as the steam billowed almost immediately around the high pressured water. God, she’d missed this house.

Waverly felt energised as she re-entered her room, towel drying her hair. The shower had felt cleansing, like she’d watched the pain of the night before wash away with the water, and now she thought only of Nicole. Excitement bubbled in her stomach, and she bit her lip as she embraced the adrenaline. She needed to see her. She grabbed her phone, typing out her playful message.

_So I’ve been thinking... could I reconsider that hot tub date? ;) Tonight? ;) X_

She grinned as she watched the delivered ticks turn blue, indicating that Nicole was awake and had read her message immediately. Butterflies swarmed in her stomach as the green font displayed, telling her Nicole was typing. God, why was she so nervous all of a sudden?

_I’m sorry, here I was thinking this was Waverly Earp’s phone? =p What happened to our ‘meetings’? ;) x_

Waverly laughed. She knew she ought to lay off of the teasing until she updated Nicole, but she’d rather tell her face to face, and she couldn’t help the flirty back and forth.

_This one is off record... ;) x_

Waverly pursed her lips, a shiver of excitement running down her spine. She figured it was her turn to make Nicole sweat a little, and she hoped the redhead was feeling the same butterflies she’d been causing in Waverly’s stomach for weeks. The phone buzzed again instantly.

_In THAT case ... I am ALL in ;) x_

Waverly blew out a shaky breath. With the barriers of her confusion and her denial lifted, both the nerves and the adrenaline fuelled excitement were hitting her hard, and she felt like a giddy teenager. Before she had a chance to reply, her phone buzzed again.

_Although ... let’s meet at Pino’s by the river. I 100% cannot trust myself with you in a hot tub... xx_

Waverly grinned, clutching her phone to her chest. There was something endlessly endearing about the way that Nicole gave her every reason to trust that she would hold off; not make any moves until Waverly told her it was what she wanted; and yet the redhead still couldn’t help but flirt back. It made Waverly feel both wanted and respected, and she adored it in the author. She fired her message back, and pushed her phone onto her nightstand, giggling to herself as she pictured the raised eyebrow and the smirk she knew her message would elicit from Nicole.

 _I’ll book a table for 7! It’s a date ;) x_  
  
**********************************************************************************

Waverly studied her reflection in the mirror, smoothing her hands over the front of her dress. The black material clung to her toned figure, cutting off just across the top of her calves. A deep slit ran up the side to the middle of her thigh, exposing flashes of skin as she moved. The V neck dropped just low enough for the curves of her breasts to tease above the material, and she’d worked loose waves into her long hair, pulled down around her shoulders. Waverly grinned. She felt confident and she felt empowered, and she couldn’t help but hope that Nicole would struggle to keep her composure tonight.

A rush of nerves burst through Waverly’s stomach as the taxi pulled up outside the restaurant, and she took a deep breath as she tried to compose herself. She knew she would need to tell Nicole that she had left Perry, but the events of the night before weren’t something she particularly wanted to rehash in her mind. She thanked the driver, handing her cash, and headed into the restaurant. Waverly’s heart thudded hard against her chest as she caught sight of Nicole, waiting at a table tucked into the back corner of the restaurant. The warm lighting wove light and dark flashes of red into her ruffled hair, and the autumnal effect was somehow sexier than ever. Nicole’s eyes were fixed on the menu on the table before her, and her lips were pursed in concentration. Her hand rested over her collar bone under the spread of her white chiffon shirt, and Waverly’s mind flashed; memories of those lips on her own, insistent fingers grazing over the skin of her waist as Nicole pulled her closer. Waverly shook her head, closing her eyes momentarily. _My god! Get a grip._

Nicole looked up as Waverly approached the table, her dimpled grin spreading instantly across her face. As the redhead stood to greet her, Waverly watched her eyes widen, and smirked as they mapped slowly over her body. Waverly felt the muscles in her stomach tense, and praised herself for her outfit choice as Nicole ran her tongue between her lips, her breathing shorter as she forced already darkened eyes back to Waverly’s face. This was exactly what she’d wanted.

“Hey.” Waverly grinned, flicking her eyes from Nicole’s gaze to her lips, and back.

“Jesus...” Nicole’s voice was low, her words whispered as her eyes dropped again over Waverly’s dress.

“It’s Waverly, actually.”

Waverly’s lips pulled into a smug grin, her tone playful. Nicole huffed a laugh, snapping her eyes back to Waverly’s, a deep blush spreading over her cheeks.

“Right...” She nodded, biting down on her lip as she laughed. “You look...” Nicole shook her head as she trailed off, clearing her throat.

Nicole hesitated for a moment, before she held her hand out to Waverly in greeting. Waverly supressed a smirk as another flush of colour crept over the redhead’s cheeks, and she closed her own around it. Nicole stood back, physically keeping her distance, and Waverly loved to watch the effect she could see she was having on the author. A trickle of guilt washed over her as Nicole took her seat, her body clearly tensed and her hands clasped firmly in her lap. She knew that Nicole was fighting her own body and her own mind, and Waverly knew that she didn’t need to. Not anymore. Adrenaline poured through her stomach, and she felt familiar heat pool between her thighs as she considered the way the redhead would handle herself tonight once she knew. Watching Nicole try to keep her control was definitely a turn on for Waverly, but she couldn’t deny that she wanted nothing more than to be the one to break it.

“So I am thinking dinner, and then... maybe a few beers at yours afterwards?” Waverly dragged her words out playfully, leaning forwards across the table. Nicole looked unbelievable; the glint in her dark eyes as she tried to keep them from wandering was doing things to Waverly’s heart rate and she couldn’t keep her in the dark any longer about Perry. She needed the barriers lifted, and she knew this conversation would give her a way in.

“You _know_ I would love to, but that sounds... _really_ dangerous.” Nicole’s voice was steady and her gaze was fixed on Waverly’s, but she twisted her fingers over each other as she spoke, betraying her agitation.

Waverly cocked an eyebrow as she leaned forwards, laying her forearms across the table, decreasing the space between Nicole’s hands and her own. She watched as the redhead’s eyes flicked to their hands, and smirked at the uncertain twitch she saw in Nicole’s as she fought the urge to touch her. She knew she wasn’t being fair, but the struggle was turning her on, and she lingered over it for a moment longer.

“Dangerous how?” Waverly pressed, the lilt in her voice drawing a smirk from the redhead.

“There is...” Nicole’s eyes scanned Waverly’s face, darkening as they dropped down over her chest, a tell-tale red flush sweeping across the skin between the spread of her shirt. She raised her eyebrows, a mischievous smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “Absolutely _no way_ that I can promise to keep my hands to myself with you tonight, Waves. Not when you’re being so... _ugh_.” She closed her eyes as she groaned, her grin growing wider. “When you’re... wearing that...” Nicole waved her hand in a gesture towards Waverly’s dress, gritting her teeth as she sighed.

“This?” Waverly pointed at her chest, grinning as Nicole’s eyes followed and she nodded. “This was just all I could find in my suitcase this evening.”

Waverly’s stomach dropped, and the nerves hit her once more as Nicole’s eyebrows furrowed, confusion flickering in her eyes.

“Suitcase? Why?”

“I left him, Nic.”

Waverly let the words fall softly from her lips, her heart pounding in her ears as she watched the confusion fade to recognition in Nicole’s eyes, and the redhead exhaled heavily. Nicole blinked, her eyes lingering closed for a moment as she processed Waverly’s words. The compassion and the concern within them when she opened them again caught Waverly’s breath in her throat, and she swallowed hard. Nicole leaned forward, reaching her hand out to Waverly’s, all hesitation lifted in her concern.

“Are you okay?”

Waverly’s head swam with overwhelming affection for the way that Nicole was instantly able to switch everything off to be there for her; to be whatever she thought Waverly needed her to be in that moment. _God,_ she liked this girl. She laced her fingers through Nicole’s, stroking her thumb over the back of the redhead’s hand.

“I’m... I’m great, honestly. I mean I feel awful about it, of course I do... but for _me?”_ She shrugged, her grin spreading involuntarily over her face. “I feel good, Nic.”

Nicole returned the smile, her dimples flipping Waverly’s stomach as they always did. Waverly moved her other hand to Nicole’s, pulling her a little closer over the table. The redhead’s fingers traced her own, and Waverly almost laughed at the way the simple touch seemed to connect straight to her core. Traces of anxiety still held in Nicole’s eyes, and Waverly held her breath as she waited for the author to speak.

“What did you tell him?”

Nicole’s voice was soft, and Waverly found herself drawn in by the way it held no traces of demand or pressure within it at all. She felt safe, and respected, and _shit_ she wanted this girl. She grinned, turning Nicole’s hand over in her own and tracing her fingers over the palm.

“I told him I think I’m gay.” Waverly fixed her eyes on Nicole’s as she made her statement, laughing as they widened in surprise.

“ _You said that_?”

“Mmhmm.” Waverly nodded

Waverly laughed openly as Nicole’s incredulous expression faded, and she pursed her lips and nodded in approval.

“It uh...” Waverly turned her face to the table in an effort to conceal the smug grin that crossed her lips. Keeping her face turned down, she flicked her eyes up to Nicole’s and pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. “It seemed unnecessarily explicit to tell him I’ve thought of nothing but you since you eye fucked me in a changing room.”

Nicole’s lips parted and her eyes darkened, a mix of surprise and arousal scrawled across her face. Waverly ran her tongue between her lips, heat rushing to her centre as she watched the signs of desire take their place in the author’s eyes; on her reddened cheeks; over her flushed chest.

“That does seem a little unnecessary, yeah...” Nicole leant forward as she spoke, keeping her searing eyes focussed on Waverly’s as she ran her fingers up over the brunette’s forearms.

The fire behind Nicole’s eyes and the deep husk in her voice were doing things to Waverly, and she wanted to push the limits of the redhead’s self-control. She took hold of Nicole’s hand, smirking as she pulled it to her lips, brushing them gently over the back of her fingers. Nicole’s eyes fluttered closed, and the hiss of arousal that escaped her lips connected straight to Waverly’s clit. She placed a gentle kiss on the tip of Nicole’s finger, and waited for flaming hazel eyes to reconnect with her own before she spoke, keeping her voice low.

“Something that I’m really hoping you’re going to do with your hands later...”

The groan that hit Waverly’s ears burned in her core, and she clenched her thighs as Nicole pulled her hand away, the redhead’s fist clenching as she tried to regain her self-control. Desire pooled thick in Waverly’s centre as she processed how easy it was for her to push the buttons that seemed to unravel Nicole’s composure.

“And m...” Nicole cleared her throat, closing her eyes and turning her face down for a moment as she worked to extract a coherent thought from the heavy haze in her mind. Her eyes bore into Waverly’s as the husky words left her lips. “I’d do a _lot_ of things to you.”

 _Fuck._ Waverly knew she was fighting a losing battle. Nicole could play her tenfold at her own game if she wanted to, and Waverly was already acutely aware of the damp material of her underwear pressing against her centre. They hadn’t even ordered, Nicole had her squirming in her seat, and Waverly knew she was entirely to blame. She also knew that she was having the same effect on the redhead opposite her, and that did nothing to stem the heat that overwhelmed her body.

Nicole’s flustered face broke into a polite smile as the waiter appeared at the table, his pen poised over his notepad. Waverly smirked as she admired the way the redhead managed to force the interaction, as though nothing had happened.

The tension seared throughout the evening, and both girls struggled to focus. Their conversations would start and they’d talk animatedly, until Nicole’s eyes dropped to Waverly’s lips or roamed her body, or the brunette ran her fingers over the author’s arms. Then the fire would burn again behind dilated eyes, and the sentences would become strained and incomplete.

“Would you ladies like to see the dessert menu?”

The waiter’s voice cut through the tension, and Waverly paused as she searched Nicole’s eyes for her reaction. She laughed as the redhead shrugged and held her gaze; her expression an indication that this was a decision left to Waverly.

“We could?” She took the menu from the waiter and opened it, running her tongue between her lips. Nicole’s eyes traced the movement, and Waverly waited for them to return to hers before she spoke. “Or, we _could_ have dessert at yours?”

She smirked, cocking an eyebrow as Nicole took the menu from her hands, turning her dimpled smile to the waiter as she handed it back to him.

“Just the check, please...”

**********************************************************************************

Nicole closed the front door slowly behind them, leaning back for a moment against it. The tension was still thick in the air, and neither girl had spoken since they’d pulled up outside the house.

Waverly turned to face Nicole, catching her eyes and breathing out a chuckle. Nicole grinned, the awkwardness lifting as she stepped towards Waverly.

“Do you want a drink? There’s beer if you want it, or I have rum?” Nicole’s voice was thick, the anticipation heavy within it, and she hovered at arm’s length away from Waverly.

“Yeah, rum would be great, thank you.” Waverly heard the hoarse break in her own voice, and watched Nicole smirk in response.

Nicole stepped forward closing the distance between them, and Waverly felt her heart drop through her stomach. Nicole hooked her thumb and her forefinger around Waverly’s chin and pulled her bottom lip between her own in a brief, searing kiss, before she stepped away. Waverly’s centre pulsed, and her body flooded with heat as she tried to process the swift presence and then loss of contact. Nicole’s hushed voice rang through her ears, and she struggled to absorb the meaning of the words.

“Wait here...”

As Nicole returned, she approached Waverly slowly, closing the space between them as she handed her a glass. Nicole was close enough that Waverly could feel the heat radiating from her body, the now familiar scent of her perfume filling her head. Nicole held her gaze as she took a sip from her glass, and Waverly instinctively ran her tongue between her lips, her mouth dry as the closeness of the redhead clouded her mind. The air felt thick, and it was impossible for her notice anything that wasn’t Nicole. Something about the way Nicole looked at her, and the unhurried way that she had approached her settled Waverly's nerves, and an unexpected wave of confidence swept over her. She lifted her glass to her lips, keeping her eyes on Nicole’s, and reached out to trace her finger slowly down the exposed skin between the spread of the redhead’s shirt. The skin flushed beneath her touch, and she felt goosebumps and the rise and fall of Nicole’s chest increasing under her fingertip.

Waverly took another sip from her glass, then placed it on the mantelpiece beside them. She stepped closer still to Nicole, running her hands over the seam of her jacket as the redhead placed her own drink down, her movements slow but her breath growing heavy. As Nicole’s arms came back to her sides, Waverly pushed the jacket over her shoulders, dragging her nails over her chest as the author let the material fall to the floor. Nicole’s face was close to Waverly's own, hooded dark eyes fixed on hers, and her lips parted. 

As the jacket dropped to the floor, freeing Nicole’s arms, she brought her hands to Waverly’s waist, running them slowly up her sides. Waverly could feel Nicole’s breath on her lips, and the heat of her hands over her sides sent a shiver down her spine. As Nicole’s hands reached her shoulders, she repeated the brunette’s actions, pushing the spread of her jacket back until it dropped. The movements were slow; deliberate and sensual, heightening the tension as their eyes explored each other's reactions.

Nicole’s lips brushed lightly over her own as she leaned closer, and Waverly pulled tentatively at the top button of her shirt. Her spine tingled as she waited for the Nicole's lips to touch her own, and she closed her eyes in anticipation. Waverly gasped as the touch she expected never came, and the redhead’s lips skirted softly over her jawline, the touch light enough to raise the hairs of her skin on end. Waverly tugged, more confidently now, at the second button as Nicole’s lips found her neck, planting open mouthed kisses that burned on her skin. Waverly let out a shaky gasp, and she ran her hands over the newly exposed skin of Nicole’s chest, and over her neck. As she reached Nicole’s face, she ran her nails along the side of her jaw, pulling her lips up to meet her own, unable to wait any longer. Desire pooled thick in her core as she kissed Nicole, the unhurried movements of their lips mixing with heavy breaths of arousal.

Waverly’s mind clouded as Nicole’s hands ran slowly up the sides of her thighs, bringing the material of her dress up with them. Reaching the top, Nicole trailed her fingertips across the back, over the crease where the curve of Waverly's ass met her thighs, and pulled her bottom lip into her mouth, biting down gently. Waverly was powerless to stop the moan that escaped her lips, and she pressed herself flush against Nicole’s body. She could feel herself becoming increasingly turned on, all nervous hesitation fleeing her body as her lust took over. 

Her moan seemed to trigger something in Nicole, and Waverly swiftly found her back pressed hard against the wall, the redhead’s hands on the underside of her thighs, pulling her against her. Waverly gasped as Nicole rolled her hips against her centre, the gasp granting the redhead access to slip her tongue into Waverly’s mouth. Nicole’s firm hands pushed Waverly’s dress over her hips, and pulled her thighs up, wrapping her legs around her waist as she rolled her hips again, pinning her hard against the wall. Waverly tangled her fingers into Nicole’s hair, holding her close as she kissed her slowly. Nicole’s hands teased still on the underside of Waverly’s thighs, her fingertips dancing dangerously close to her centre. Waverly was acutely aware of the tremble in her muscles as Nicole teased her, and she couldn’t help but wonder how it was possible that the redhead couldn’t feel the arousal spreading across her thighs through her soaked underwear. Or could she? Did she know _exactly_ what she was doing to her?

Waverly broke the kiss, and brought her fingers round to run softly over Nicole’s lips. She gasped audibly as Nicole sucked her finger into her mouth, her tongue circling the pad as she released it. Nicole was driving her crazy, and Waverly was completely at her mercy. She couldn't remember ever feeling this surrendered to someone's touch, and the sensations set her body on fire.

Waverly ran her tongue over Nicole’s lips, desperate to increase the contact further, and she felt the redhead lift her, supporting her weight under her thighs as she carried her towards the sofa. _No. Not_ _here._ Waverly was fast losing her control, and she needed all of Nicole. She pulled back before the redhead could lower her down, connecting her gaze with dark eyes, and shook her head slowly.

“You okay Waves?” Nicole’s arousal was audible in the husk of her voice, but the gentle concern was still as clear as ever. Waverly nodded, a small smirk tugging on her lips as she felt another rush of affection for the author as she continued. “You want to stop?”

Waverly shook her head, running her nails over the back of Nicole’s neck, smirking as she felt the redhead shiver. The words fell confidently from her lips, surprising herself.

“No. Take me upstairs.”

Waverly ran her lips over Nicole’s jawline, needing the contact to continue, biting down on her earlobe as the redhead groaned.

“Are you sure?” Nicole’s question was simple, but the meaning carried an intensity that flipped Waverly’s stomach.

“Yes.” Waverly breathed, feeling Nicole tense as her breath hit her ear. _God, yes._ “I want you.”

She captured Nicole’s lips again, kissing her deeply as the redhead stumbled up the stairs. Waverly pulled at the buttons of Nicole’s shirt, until she’d spread the material wide over the author’s shoulders. She ran her hands below the fabric, feeling her clit pulse as her fingers mapped lace over the curves of Nicole’s breasts. She pulled back, dropping her eyes to Nicole’s chest, eager to drink in the newly exposed flesh, and the material that felt so good under her fingers. She couldn’t help the squeal that escaped her as Nicole threw her, and her back hit the bed. Waverly’s head swam as she tried to pick her bearings, but Nicole’s body was over hers before she could process anything else. The redhead pinned Waverly’s arms above her head as she rolled her hips firmly into her, and the brunette groaned loudly as the pressure seared in her centre. Nicole hadn't even touched her, and Waverly could feel the soaked material of her underwear pressing firmly against her skin, telling her that she was fast coming undone.

Nicole ran her hands slowly down the sides of Waverly’s arms, kissing her passionately as she mapped her fingers over her neck; the curve of her breasts; abs that tensed beneath her touch; and torturously lightly over the mound of flesh under the front of her underwear. Waverly’s breath hitched in her throat and she bucked her hips forward, but Nicole’s touch was gone, her hands back on Waverly’s sides. Waverly whimpered into their kiss, adrenaline flooding her stomach as she realised that she’d been right. Yes, Nicole knew _exactly_ what she was doing, and Waverly was in way over her head. Nicole had her exactly where she wanted her, and Waverly was more than happy to let the redhead take every part of her.

Waverly brought her hands down to push the material of Nicole’s shirt off over her back. The redhead sat up to let it fall, and Waverly groaned as her eyes roamed over toned abs and lace covered curves. She hooked her fingers in Nicole’s waistband, pulling herself up. She ran her hands over Nicole’s chest and over her breasts, dipping her fingers under the black lace material to roll already hardened nipples between them. She dragged her nails down over the redhead’s stomach, enjoying the way Nicole’s muscles tensed and trembled under her touch. Waverly felt her confidence grow as sounds of Nicole's arousal filled her ears, and she smirked as the thought crossed her mind that she could make the redhead feel the same way.

Nicole pulled Waverly’s dress up over her head, kissing her deeply as the brunette flung the material to the side. Waverly’s fingers fumbled with the buttons of Nicole’s jeans, and the redhead smirked, sitting back on her knees to allow the brunette access. Waverly wrapped her hands around Nicole’s waist, trailing kisses over trembling abs, and slipped her fingers daringly under the waistband of her underwear, earning her a gasp that connected straight to her core. Nicole grabbed Waverly’s face, pulling her back up into a kiss, something in it hungrier this time. Gone were the light, teasing touches, and every movement now burned through Waverly’s body.

Waverly pushed Nicole’s body back, biting down on her lip with a smirk as she gestured towards her jeans. Nicole grinned, hauling herself up to remove them. Waverly watched as the redhead discarded the material, standing before her now in matching black lace underwear, and felt her desire pulse stronger between her thighs. _Jesus._ She sat herself up, wrapping her hands around onto Nicole’s ass, pulling her in between her thighs. Waverly groaned as Nicole’s fingers twisted in her hair, pulling gently, and she trailed kisses over the redhead’s stomach, just above the waistband of her underwear. She dragged her nails over the exposed flesh of Nicole’s ass, the gasps that fell from the author’s lips driving her arousal higher. She felt Nicole’s fingers work to release the clasp of her bra, and moved back to let the material be lifted from her arms.

Nicole placed her hand in the centre of Waverly’s chest, pushing her back against the bed as she reconnected their lips. Waverly’s skin was on fire as Nicole trailed kisses over her jawline, bit down hard on her earlobe, and then ran her tongue down her neck and over her chest. Waverly arched her back, groaning loudly as Nicole swirled her tongue over her nipple, before sucking it firmly into her mouth. As her back arched, Waverly felt Nicole wrap her arm underneath her, pulling her body up into her. She wrapped her legs around the redhead’s waist, feeling the slick arousal on the inside of her thighs slide over Nicole’s stomach. The groan that fell from the redhead’s lips was almost a growl, as she pressed herself harder into the tell-tale warmth of Waverly’s arousal, before throwing her back against the bed. Waverly couldn’t breath. The fire in Nicole’s eyes as she dropped down between her thighs was too much, and her clit pulsed hard in anticipation. Waverly watched, flames coursing through her stomach as Nicole ran her tongue over the tops of her thighs, along the lines of her underwear, keeping her eyes fixed on the brunette’s. Waverly groaned, her eyes rolling back as she processed the redhead’s actions. She knew Nicole’s tongue would be running through the arousal that coated the tops of her thighs, and Nicole would have felt it on her stomach and known the same thing. _Fuck, this girl!_ Waverly gripped at Nicole’s hair in a desperate effort to pull her back up to kiss her. Nicole smirked as she kissed her deeply, and Waverly’s stomach flipped as she tasted her own desire on the redhead’s tongue. Fuck, if she tasted this good, then how would Nicole's arousal feel on her tongue?

Waverly was gone; completely unable to form coherent thoughts, and only able to act on her lust fuelled impulses. She pushed her hand confidently down between their bodies, and slipped her fingers under the front of Nicole’s underwear as the redhead groaned loudly, burying her face in Waverly’s neck. Waverly slammed her eyes shut, huffing out a sharp breath as her need intensified. She didn’t think she would ever feel anything that turned her on as much as the soft, warm flesh below her fingers now, Nicole’s arousal coating thick over her palm. Waverly couldn't control her urges anymore, and she gripped the back of Nicole’s neck as she sank two fingers inside her; the redhead biting down hard on Waverly’s shoulder in shock and pleasure, her guttural groan filling the room. Waverly’s body was on fire. She’d been wrong - the sound that rang in her ears now, and the way Nicole felt around her fingers _definitely_ turned her on more. She withdrew her fingers slowly, keeping her eyes fixed on Nicole’s burning hazel orbs as she slipped them into her own mouth, groaning loudly as she tasted the redhead’s desire on her skin.

“ _Fuck...”_

Waverly swallowed hard, a tremble of anticipation seeping through her. The deep husk in Nicole’s voice and the glazed fire behind her eyes told Waverly that she’d pushed the last button. Nicole’s composure - any signs of control were gone, and it was unbelievably sexy. Waverly let the moans fall freely from her lips as Nicole bit and sucked her way down Waverly’s body, dragging her underwear with her. A further surge of anticipation tensed Waverly’s muscles as Nicole discarded the material, and connected her dark eyes on Waverly’s, mischief dancing behind them as she started to make her way back up slowly over the brunette’s legs. As she ran her tongue up the inside of Waverly's thigh, edging closer to her centre, the brunette whimpered lightly, her body on edge as she tried to predict Nicole's intentions. Waverly cried out, her eyes rolling back as without warning Nicole sank her tongue deep into her centre, then dragged it out over the length of her folds, sucking hard on her clit as she made her way back up towards her stomach. Waverly groaned in frustration as the contact moved to her abs, the ache between her legs consuming her entirely.

“Oh my _fucking god_ Nicole, _please...”_

Nicole grinned, leaning in to kiss Waverly intensely, her lips and her tongue relentlessly breaking the brunette apart as she dragged her fingernails up the inside of her thigh. Waverly's whole body tensed, and she began to moan heavily into the kiss, gripping hard into Nicole’s back as insistent fingertips finally circled over her aching clit.

Nicole pulled back, her lust filled eyes focused intently on Waverly’s, and a cocky smirk spread across her face, sending a jolt of aroused anticipation through the brunette's stomach. Waverly felt every muscle in her body quiver, and she cried out as Nicole sank two fingers into her centre, curling them hard against the flesh of the wall at the front. Nicole’s gaze fixed on Waverly’s as she drew her fingers out, driving them back harder into her. Waverly gripped at Nicole's back, struggling to keep her eyes on hers as the redhead fucked her, rolling her hips intermittently into the back of her hand, the force driving her fingers harder. Waverly writhed under the redhead’s body, desperately bucking her hips to meet Nicole’s hand, needing more of the contact. She had _never_ been fucked like this, and she was fast coming undone, the loud, desperate sounds that left her lips fully out of her control.

Waverly’s body shuddered as Nicole adjusted her position, sweeping her thumb over the brunette’s clit, her curling fingers not halting their movements. Nicole brushed her other thumb over Waverly’s lips, and the brunette pulled it into her mouth. Waverly flicked her tongue over the pad of Nicole’s thumb, and the redhead smirked, repeating the movement on Waverly’s clit before stopping. Nicole’s beckoning fingers were pulling Waverly apart, and she needed the friction on her clit to push her over the edge. Frustrated, she bit down on Nicole’s thumb, and Nicole grinned, dragging her thumb hard over Waverly’s clit, before halting the movement again. _Holy shit._ Waverly’s mind clicked, and she felt a wave of heat overwhelm her body as she understood Nicole's game. She traced her tongue in a circle over Nicole’s thumb, whimpering with arousal when the redhead mimicked the action on her clit. _Sweet_ f _ucking hell, this girl!_ Waverly controlled the movements of her tongue; the movements of Nicole's thumb on her clit, as best she could, feeling her body tense under Nicole’s relentless touch, her core tightening harder around her fingers.

Nicole’s hooded eyes glazed, and moans of approval fell from her lips as she took in Waverly’s state. Her heightened arousal was clear, and Waverly's impatient desire overwhelmed her. She needed Nicole to feel the way she did, and she slid her hand into the redhead’s underwear, pushing her fingers through the folds. _God._ Waverly’s moans intensified, and her eyes rolled as she felt just how turned on Nicole was. She traced her fingers over Nicole’s clit, trying desperately to keep them trained on the movements that elicited all the right sounds from the redhead's lips, as her own body tensed and shook and the intense pleasure clouded her mind. Nicole’s actions, coupled with the sounds she made now as Waverly teased her, were pulling her apart and she couldn’t maintain her movements or her focus. She surrendered, dragging her nails over Nicole’s back as she came hard against her hand.

Nicole cupped Waverly’s cheek and she kissed her deeply, pressing her fingers hard against the soft flesh inside her as the brunette rode out the last waves of her orgasm. Waverly gripped Nicole’s body, holding her flush against her as she tried to ground herself, her body shaking and her mind spinning. As the thick haze cleared, and she regained her movements, Waverly's mind filled instantly with the desire to make Nicole feel this way; to make those sounds fall again from her lips. She twisted her fingers under the clasp of Nicole’s bra, pulling it open as the redhead laughed openly.

“Ready, are we?” She grinned, leaning down to kiss Waverly again, gasping in shock as the brunette flipped her over, pinning her to the bed.

Waverly smirked, her eyes scanning the redhead’s chest hungrily as she pulled the bra off, discarding it behind her. Waverly slid her tongue immediately over hardened nipples, and pushed her hand once more into Nicole’s underwear, sinking her fingers in hard as the redhead groaned loudly.

“Mmhmm, and _my god_ , so are you.”


	7. Glow In Embers

_Mia’s stomach twisted and she felt her mouth go dry, the trace of her laugh fading as Sophie pinned her hands above her head, her thighs straddling either side of her waist. She swallowed hard, unexpected heat coursing through her body as her friend’s lips turned up into a smirk and she leaned in closer, her piercing blue eyes fixed on Mia’s gaze. She felt the pressure of Sophie’s hands on her arms lift, and her friend laughed triumphantly as she grabbed the last sweet that they’d been fighting over from Mia’s slackened grasp. Before Mia could process what had happened, the weight of Sophie’s body was gone, cold goosebumps left in her wake._

_Shit. What was that? Mia ran her hands over her eyes and dragged herself up slowly, chuckling softly as Sophie unwrapped the candy and made a deliberate display of shoving it unceremoniously into her mouth. She tried to map her thoughts back, in her usual over analytical way. When had this started happening? When had she started to notice the way Sophie’s eyes creased at the side when she smiled, making Mia’s chest feel that little bit tighter? When had the butterflies started creeping through her stomach when Sophie threw her head back, her full laugh ringing through Mia’s ears? And just when had the heat started to flush her skin, pooling in her stomach and between her legs when Sophie touched her?_

_Mia dragged herself to her feet, needing to put some physical distance between herself and Sophie, the room feeling unbearably warm. She couldn’t let this happen – she couldn’t have these feelings. They had codes, this stuff was all mapped out for them. Even if Sophie ever felt the same, this would only ever have an expiration date. Wouldn’t it? Mia’s eyes dropped to Sophie’s code across her shoulder. In the comfort of each other’s company, they didn’t feel the need to hide them anymore, and Mia had struggled intensely to keep her eyes off of her friend’s skin. The shapes could match hers. Couldn’t they? But then, if they didn’t..._

_Mia shook her head, a cold shiver running down her spine. If she let herself fall for Sophie, and her code turned out not to be the one that matched hers, then they’d lose their friendship. That just wasn’t something she could risk.  
  
_

Waverly stirred, the bright morning sun breaking through her dreams. Sleep fogged her mind, and she slowly untangled her reality from the hazy images of her dreams. She smiled softly to herself as she processed the source of the visions that had laid before her in her sleep. She really did spend far too much time reading that manuscript! Waverly’s grin spread wide as the sleepy haze started to lift and the warmth of Nicole’s body pressed against her own registered in her brain. She wriggled closer into the redhead’s back, stroking her fingers softly over her arm. She hummed a heavy, contented sigh as she let her mind pull back the events of the night before, allowing her fingers to continue their lazy mapping of Nicole’s body.

Waverly trailed her fingers lightly over Nicole’s shoulder, planting soft kisses in their wake. She traced her fingertips over the redhead’s neck, noticing for the first time the light bruise that blemished the skin over her pulse point. Waverly huffed out a harsh breath, clenching her thighs in an effort to control the arousal as she remembered the deep groan that had left Nicole’s lips as she’d marked her. Intense heat pooled in Waverly’s centre as her fingers continued down over Nicole’s back, mapping the red lines of flesh that had raised under nails gripping frantically as the redhead pressed her back against the headboard, fucking her out of her senses.

Waverly felt Nicole stir and a gentle hum leave her lips as the brunette danced her fingers lazily over her stomach. Waverly planted soft, open mouthed kisses over the back of Nicole’s neck, pressing her hips forwards into the redhead’s ass, her desire climbing higher as she remembered the way those toned abs had trembled and bucked as the brunette’s teasing fingertips drew slow figures of eight over her clit. She ran her fingers down over Nicole’s thigh, her touch firmer now as she felt Nicole start to respond, pressing her body back into her. Waverly’s arousal pooled thick in her centre, remembering the way strong thighs had clamped around her face as she’d sucked Nicole’s swollen clit into her mouth. Fuck, the way she’d _tasted._ The sound of strained cries of Waverly’s name filling the room as the redhead had clenched hard around her fingers _._ Waverly groaned into Nicole’s back, pressing her body flush against her. She couldn’t ever remember her body responding this way to another person, and she felt powerless to control it. God, this was one _hell_ of a sexual awakening.

Nicole moaned lightly as Waverly trailed kisses over the top of her spine, starting to drag her fingertips up the redhead’s stomach, inching towards her chest. Waverly grinned, biting down gently on Nicole’s shoulder as she felt the redhead push her ass back into her hips, grinding gently against her. Nicole took hold of Waverly’s wandering hand, pulling it to her lips and brushing them over the back of her fingers. Waverly could feel Nicole’s grin against her skin, and her stomach flipped in anticipation as the redhead’s sleepy stupor lifted.

“You can stay here more often if this is my wake up call.” Nicole’s hushed voice was heavy with sleep, but its edge was hoarse with the glowing embers of lust.

Waverly grinned, running her hand back down over Nicole’s chest, circling her fingertip deliberately over her nipple, smirking as it hardened under her touch. She felt the heat between her legs deepen as Nicole’s soft moans connected with her core, and the redhead ground her ass back again, the friction teasing Waverly’s aching clit. Nicole’s legs parted slightly in anticipation as Waverly trailed eager fingertips back down over her stomach, the redhead’s voice less sleepy and the husk of desire clearer in it as she dragged out her words.

“Miss Earp, you are insatiable.”

Waverly slipped her fingers between Nicole’s legs, their languid moans tangling together as she felt how wet the redhead was already. Waverly’s stomach flipped, her breath catching in her throat as she processed that this was because of her. _For_ her. _Fuck._ Waverly teased over the soft, heated flesh of Nicole’s centre, the redhead’s desire pooling heavier over her fingers as she pushed her hips forwards into her touch. Waverly groaned, a smug grin crossing her face as she murmured her response into Nicole’s neck.

“It seems to me that _I_ am not the insatiable one, Miss Haught.”

Nicole’s half laugh was low, the husk almost a growl as she spun, flipping Waverly onto her back and pinning her down. The burn in Waverly’s flushed cheeks, and the tremble of her short breaths were clear signs of her arousal and she blushed, knowing Nicole would recognise it instantly. Nicole cocked an eyebrow, her knowing smirk igniting the desire deeper in Waverly’s core. Waverly felt her muscles tremble under Nicole’s touch, as the redhead ran her hand slowly down between their bodies, slipping her fingers into the heated, wet flesh of Waverly’s centre. The hiss that sounded through Nicole’s smug grin as she felt the extent of the desire in Waverly’s core raised the hairs of the brunette’s neck on end, and she instinctively bucked her hips forward into the touch.

“You _sound_ so sure, but your body seems to be saying something _entirely_ different, Earp.” Nicole teased.

Waverly groaned in frustration, a half laugh escaping her at the redhead’s smug competitiveness.

“ _So_ cocky Haught.” Waverly’s smirk broke into a moan as Nicole teased her fingers over the entrance to her core and her body ignited under her touch. “God _,_ just _fuck me_.”

*********************************************************************************

Waverly grinned, pulling the sheets around her chest as she propped herself up on the pillows. She’d definitely had worse Saturday mornings, and her mood only improved further at the sight of Nicole headed towards her now in a pair of tight black boxers and a white tank that clung to her curves, a mug of coffee in each hand. She was aware, somewhere in her mind, that it wasn’t going to be this simple. She still had Perry to face on Monday, and she knew he would still want answers. She knew she also needed to figure out whether they could still work together; whether she still had a job; whether she would still get to see Nicole’s book through. There was a lot to face yet, but Nicole made it all feel so easy. The redhead handed her a mug and climbed into bed beside her, wrapping her arm around Waverly’s shoulder. The mug felt warm and comforting in Waverly’s hand, the skin of Nicole’s thigh soft under the fingers of the other. The sun through the large bay window felt airy, casting the glow of new daylight through the heady scent of sex filling the room. Waverly relaxed back against Nicole. Her body felt lighter than it had in weeks, the ghost of an ache between her thighs serving a delicious reminder of the way the redhead’s fingers had filled her so fervently so many times. Nicole made everything feel _so_ easy, and everything felt... different. Clearer. Like every detail was more vivid; like Waverly was somehow more alert. Waverly’s body responded to Nicole’s every move, but so did her mind and she felt... Waverly almost laughed out loud as the thought hit her. All this time, her sister had told her this. How could she be such a walking cliché? She felt _alive_.

“Do you have plans today?”

Nicole nuzzled her nose against Waverly’s ear as she spoke softly, raising goosebumps on the brunette’s skin as her breath hit her neck. Waverly’s heart fluttered in her chest. She’d been hoping to spend the day with Nicole, but she hadn’t wanted to seem too forward. The hopeful tone in the redhead’s voice now though told her that she wasn’t alone, and she couldn’t help but grin widely at the thought that this was mutual. She shifted, turning her face to Nicole’s, butterflies swarming in her stomach as her eyes landed on soft, hopeful eyes and those insane dimples.

“I’m kind of hoping you’re about to tell me.” Waverly brushed her nose against Nicole’s as she responded, butterflies surging further as the redhead captured her lips in a brief kiss.

“If you’re up for spending the day with me, then... yeah I have a few ideas.”

Nicole rolled her eyes, her grin widening as Waverly wriggled her eyebrows suggestively.

“ _Insatiable._ ” Nicole dropped her voice, wrapping her arms tighter around Waverly’s waist, pulling her in closer as she bit down gently on her earlobe. “As _incredible_ as it would be to spend the entire day in bed with you... I was thinking maybe I could take you out?”

“Yeah? What did you have in mind?”

**************************************************************

A pit stop at the homestead for a change of clothes, and a breakfast in a riverside café later, Waverly’s brows furrowed in confusion as Nicole pulled the car into an almost empty lot behind a series of rundown looking buildings. She scanned the signs, looking for one that might tell her why they were here. Nicole had insisted that she wanted to keep the destination a surprise, and the knowing smirk on her face now only confused Waverly more.

“Is this... are you leading me to my death?” Waverly cocked an eyebrow as she joked, her eyes still searching for clues in the buildings in front of her.

“You’ll find out soon enough, if you trust me.” Nicole winked, her tone teasing, and she planted a kiss on Waverly’s cheek before jumping out of the car.

As she stepped out of the car, Waverly’s eyes landed on the building behind them, and she laughed out loud as she read the words ‘Adventure Playzone’ tacked over the front of the dishevelled looking warehouse. Childlike excitement bubbled in her stomach and she all but jumped up and down as Nicole took her hand, beaming wildly at her.

“Nicole Haught, you are _such_ a big kid!” Waverly grinned as the redhead marched towards the door, dragging her excitedly behind her. “ _Why_ am I _so_ much more attracted to you right now?”

“It’s adults only at weekends! I told you, kids get _way_ too much fun.”

The warehouse was large, the small elevator in the lobby indicating that it spanned across multiple floors. Waverly’s eyes scanned the room, her excitement building in her stomach as Nicole paid their entry. The ground level stretched high with vast, colourful netted structures filling the room from floor to ceiling. Nestled amongst the structures were various ropes, ladders, bridges, tunnels, poles, and soft play apparatus swinging from the ceilings. Slides of varying heights and shapes bottomed into pits filled with plastic balls. It was a haven of ecstatic childhood memories and Waverly’s stomach fluttered as a rush of affection for Nicole surged through her. The park was almost empty, only a handful of other visitors in sight, and Waverly bobbed on the spot as she waited for Nicole to stash their things in a locker, itching to jump through the soft rollers that led into the netted structures. She leaned back with an eager hum as she felt Nicole’s arms wrap around her waist, the redhead leaning down to whisper softly in her ear.

“Race you to the top, baby.”

In an instant she was gone, running towards the entrance. Heat surged through Waverly’s chest and her heart pounded for a brief moment as Nicole’s words sank in. _Baby._ She shivered, snapping her brain into gear as she sprinted after Nicole.

Waverly pulled at Nicole’s shirt as she slipped through the rollers, both girls laughing as they clambered over each other in their race through the obstacles. Waverly shot ahead of Nicole, dropping to her knees as she crawled through a rainbow coloured tunnel connecting two of the netted zones. She giggled as strong hands grasped her ankles in an effort to pull her back, and she twisted onto her back as she strained to break free. Waverly huffed out a laugh as Nicole changed tact, squeezing herself into the tunnel over the top of Waverly’s body. She stretched her hands back, clutching for the edge of the tunnel in an effort to pull herself out, swiftly finding the air knocked from her chest as Nicole pinned her hands down. Even in their current situation, Waverly’s heart beat a little faster and her stomach flipped as Nicole’s body pressed down against hers. The redhead raised an eyebrow, gave a cocky smirk and leant down to kiss Waverly deeply, slipping her tongue instantly into her mouth. She bit down on Waverly’s bottom lip, soothed it with a soft kiss, then shot over Waverly and out of the tunnel with a chuckle before the brunette could gather her thoughts. Undeniably a little flustered, Waverly groaned as she pulled herself out of the tunnel, her legs a little weaker as she sped after Nicole.

“Foul play, Haught!”

Waverly grinned, plotting her next move as Nicole dodged between hanging punch bags dotted across the ceiling. Waverly ran through them, pushing them into Nicole’s path with a mischievous chuckle. Managing to win a spit second gain as she squeezed through another set of rollers, Waverly threw herself onto a rope, swinging herself at Nicole as she entered the section. She wrapped her legs around Nicole’s waist as she tried to run past, pulling the giggling redhead in between her thighs and planting open mouthed kisses over her neck. Waverly let go of the rope, wrapping her arms around Nicole’s shoulders as the redhead carried her towards the next obstacle. Nicole stopped in front of a purple tubular beam stretching across like a bridge, a wide safety net below it.

“Trust me?” Nicole’s tone was teasing, and she wriggled her eyebrows as she looked up at Waverly for her reaction, gripping tightly onto her legs to prevent her from climbing down.

“Absolutely not!” Waverly laughed, wriggling as she tried to break free of Nicole’s grasp.

“Shame...”

Nicole grinned, holding Waverly tighter as she started forwards to run across the beam. As the redhead took her first step onto the obstacle the tube spun, sending both girls flying off onto the safety net in a fit of laughter. Mischievous hazel eyes fixed on Waverly’s as the redhead started to crawl towards her, cocky grin spread across her face. Waverly laughed, shaking her head as she scrambled to her feet.

“I don’t think so this time, keep your foul play to yourself. This race is not over!”

Both girls tore through the obstacles, pulling at each other and distracting each other wherever they could, as they headed for the closed section at the top housing the entrances to the multi coloured tube slides that would take them down into the ball pits. Nicole eventually reached the top in the lead, with Waverly wrapped around her waist as she tried to pull her back, both a little breathless. Waverly’s stomach flipped as Nicole spun around, pulling her into her arms and kissing her softly.

“Thank you for bringing me here, Nic. You’re amazing.” Waverly blushed, and a shy smile crept over her face as the words left her lips.

Nicole’s eyes sparkled as they searched Waverly’s, and the brunette was almost certain she could melt into those dimples.

“I’m just glad you’re as big of a kid as I am.” Nicole laughed, pushing a strand of hair back behind Waverly’s ear. “Thank you for being here with me, baby.”

There it was again. _Baby._ The name somersaulted in Waverly’s stomach, and something about the way it rolled from Nicole’s tongue sparked in her core. She slid her hand behind Nicole’s neck, running her nails over the sensitive skin as she leant in close to her ear. Waverly kept her voice low, intentionally breathy so that the words would hit Nicole’s skin as she heard them.

“It _really_ turns me on when you call me baby.”

Waverly bit down on Nicole’s earlobe, feeling her shudder as she leaned in to her touch. Waverly smirked. In one swift movement she stepped back, grabbed the top of the tube slide and flung herself down it, hearing Nicole’s laugh echo through the hollow of the plastic as she followed her down.

Waverly squealed in anticipation as Nicole moved towards her, hidden under the plastic balls as they emerged from the slides. She laughed loudly as Nicole popped up beside her, flopping her body on top of Waverly’s, sending them both back under. As they surfaced Nicole pulled Waverly close, her cheeky grin tugging on the butterflies in the brunette’s stomach.

“Guess what’s in the obstacle zones upstairs...” Nicole’s eyes shone, and the excitement in her voice was so endearing that Waverly couldn’t help but laugh as she shrugged, waiting for the answer. “Laser tag!”

Waverly’s eyes widened, a child-like grin spreading across her face as she wriggled her eyebrows at Nicole and turned and ran, the redhead’s voice calling after her.

“Winner buys dinner.”

Waverly stopped, cocking an eyebrow and smirking as she turned to face Nicole.

“Winner? Why the winner?”

“Well, I want to treat you.” Nicole’s tone was cocky, a cheeky grin spread across her face. “And I’m a damn good shot.” 

Waverly laughed, biting down on her lip as she pulled Nicole into her. Something about the competitive cockiness displayed today was really very sexy, and Waverly vowed to give her something to compete against.

“You are underestimating me, _baby_.” Waverly smirked, dragging the last word out slowly. She slipped her hand over Nicole’s ass as she kissed her, biting gently on her lower lip. “You’re on.”  
  


**********************************************************************************

Waverly sat back against the low jets, letting the warm water ease her tired muscles. It really was beautiful out here; the string lights contrasting the clear night sky, complimenting the stars she could see above her. The steam from the hot tub battled the chill from the night air, the combination raising goosebumps over Waverly’s skin. She turned her eyes to Nicole, sighing contentedly as she watched the redhead pour two glasses of wine, balancing the glasses on the ledge of the tub. She’d had undoubtedly the best day she’d had in a long time, and unquestionably the best _date_ she had ever had. Nicole was a constant source of amazement for Waverly, and she was loving every second of getting to know the many layers to the author. She knew exactly when to be sweet, when to be cocky, when to be funny, when to be sexy... it was almost a little overwhelming for Waverly and she was very quickly finding she was struggling to keep a hold on her feelings.

Nicole handed her a glass, and clinked her own against it as she leaned in to kiss Waverly softly before settling back against the jets opposite her.

“Thank you for dinner, Waves.” Nicole’s tone was sheepish, and her cheeks flushed a little pink in her playful embarrassment.

“Any time, hot-shot.” Waverly grinned, not bothering to hide the smugness from her voice as she teased the redhead.

“It was not a fair fight, and you know it.” Nicole huffed, playing her irritation up, a playful smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “You played very dirty. It was _very_ distracting.”

Waverly held her hands up in mock defence, her smug grin widening as she watched Nicole’s eyes darken in memory of her dirty tactics.

“I cannot be held responsible for my actions, you’re just too _damn sexy_ when you’re all competitive and concentrating.” Waverly’s voice was sing song in an effort to feign innocence, but she let her eyes rake over Nicole’s body as she spoke, enjoying the way the redhead flushed beneath her gaze. “I would like to propose a toast... to Red Ribbon Frayed.” Waverly grinned, raising her glass and tilting it towards Nicole. “Firstly because without it, I would not be sat in a hot tub with a _smouldering_ redhead...”

“Oh! Smouldering?” Nicole questioned, cocking an eyebrow.

Waverly nodded, winking as Nicole laughed.

“And secondly, because it really means a lot to me. The book is amazing, Nic.”

Waverly searched Nicole’s eyes as she tried to express her sincerity. The redhead’s small, humble smile was genuine, and her eyes shone with an unassuming kind of pride that spread warmth through Waverly’s chest.

“I never expected a teen romance would grip me this way.” Waverly bit her lip, trying to supress a cheeky grin as Nicole flicked water at her across the hot tub.

Nicole pushed herself off from the ledge, moving slowly towards Waverly as she spoke, her voice low, a playful tone clear in its edges.

“Things are always more...”

“Intricate than they seem.” Waverly cut Nicole off with a smirk. “So I see.”

Nicole ran her hands over Waverly’s thighs as she pushed them apart, positioning herself between them. She pulled Waverly’s legs around her waist and turned around, leaning back against the ledge with Waverly straddled over her lap. The redhead’s dark eyes were earnest, an honesty within them that captivated Waverly as she started to speak.

“I guess I just feel like the society we live in leads a lot of people to focus on this idealistic image of what we’re looking for. In anything! In romance, in work, in ourselves. I think a lot of people put a lot of pressure on themselves to find something perfect. But, we build these ideals up based on all the things we think we should want. I think it’s usually things we _wish_ we saw in ourselves, and that stops us listening to who we really are, and what we really need. What we really want. So then we choose the things that don’t fit, and things don’t feel quite right.”

_Mia stared at her code in the mirror. She rubbed her eyes, pressing her palms hard against them, before blinking and turning them back to the mirror. Her breath caught in her throat and her blood ran cold. Two of her six shapes had expanded. Overnight!? They were almost complete. What in fuck? Shaking, Mia dragged her journal from her bedside table, staring at the incomplete code jotted onto the front page. What did this mean? Was she just... delayed? Would her code grow, and would that mean she did have a soulmate after all?_

_Mia swallowed hard. She’d been fighting so hard against her growing feelings for Sophie that she hadn’t thought about her actual soulmate in a long time now, and this brought everything crashing back with a heavy panic. She let out a shaky breath, composing herself. She’d kept her code secret from Sophie for so long, and telling her had brought them closer. Soph was in the same boat. She needed to know about this._

_*******_

_Sophie’s eyes filled with tears as they absorbed Mia’s code, her hands shaking as she reached out to trace her fingers over the newly formed shapes._

_“I don’t understand Soph, what does this mean?”_

_Bright blue eyes connected with Mia’s through her tears, and Sophie took a few tentative steps towards her. Mia’s heart pounded and her stomach dropped as Sophie moved closer. Goosebumps rose over Mia’s skin as Sophie’s shaky breaths hit her lips, and her friend slipped her hand around the back of her neck, pulling her closer. The pause was torturous, and Mia forced her voice to choke out through the tension in her chest._

_“Soph?”_

_Mia’s gasp was swallowed as Sophie pressed their lips together softly, tentatively, before she pulled away. She pulled the sleeve of her T Shirt up, and Mia’s blood ran hot through her body as her eyes dropped to her friend’s code. Two of Sophie’s shapes had also completed. And they matched Mia’s. Sophie’s voice was brittle as she spoke, and the emotion in her eyes stripped every part of Mia’s strength down._

_“I think... that maybe it’s because I’m falling in love with you, Mia. And I hope... I hope that it means you feel the same way?”_

Nicole paused, running her fingers over the back of Waverly’s shoulders as she thought for a moment. Waverly watched her patiently. She knew she had more to say, and she was entranced. Nicole’s lips turned up in a half smile, her dark eyes not leaving Waverly’s as she continued.

“People grow up being told that they’ll find that one person that the world thinks they should love, and when they find that it doesn’t quite click, they turn away. They assume that means this isn’t the right person to fit the criteria they’re looking for, but they never stop to think that maybe they’re looking for the wrong thing. I just wanted to strip that down a bit. I’m not saying that _everyone_ is looking for the wrong thing, I’m just saying that real love is not that simple. When we find someone who fits who we are ... I genuinely believe it will so rarely be the person you grew up thinking was meant for you.”

Waverly had always loved to hear the thoughts and the emotions of the authors behind her favourite stories. She always felt connected to the authors through the pages, but to feel connected to the pages through the author was a rare opportunity and it always left her emotional. But to hear Nicole speak of the heart behind her writing floored Waverly in a way she had never experienced, and she felt herself fall hard for the redhead as the words and the sentiments sunk in. Studying Nicole’s reactions, she connected the author’s words with the thoughts in her own mind.

“That’s why Mia and Sophie figure soulmates don’t exist? Because they’re made? That multiple souls might fit yours, but that if enough pieces fit, then the rest are compromise, and it’s about who you fall for. _That’s_ why you didn’t write their codes completely changing... It makes more sense that for them, maybe they find their own way. They choose to be together because they want to be, not because they think they should be...” Goosebumps rose over Waverly’s skin as Nicole nodded, her fingers tracing gentle patterns over the brunette’s back. Waverly tangled her hands into Nicole’s hair, pulling her into a deep kiss. “Honestly... you are _such_ a cheeseball Haught, but _holy fuck_ the things you say _do_ things to me...”

Nicole’s eyes darkened, her lips pulled into smirk, and she gripped hold of Waverly’s hips as the brunette rolled them firmly.

“It’s a damn good job we have all night baby, cause there are _a lot_ of things I’d like to do to you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please let me know what you think - good and bad! I really appreciate every one of the comments you leave, they make my day haha.


	8. Build Me Anew

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies that it's taken a little longer than usual to post this one, it's been a pretty intense week or so!
> 
> As always, please do let me know what you think. I'm fast falling in love with the sound of my email notification letting me know that someone is leaving me feedback on this, so thank you to everyone who is commenting!

The door to the homestead clicked quietly shut behind Waverly as she leaned back against it. She closed her eyes for a moment, the heavy pull of exhaustion fogging her brain. She couldn’t help the wide smile that played on her lips, the scent of the stolen oversized hoody she was wearing and the dull ache in her muscles keeping her tired mind focused on the reason for her sleepless nights. She’d been reluctant to leave Nicole this morning; the prospect of her Sunday spent in a tangled mess of sheets, wandering lips and hands, and delicious sounds of surrender seeming far too appealing to resist. The author had eventually mustered enough willpower to reluctantly insist that Waverly go home for a change of clothes, and maybe an uninterrupted nap and a shower that didn’t end up dirtier than it started. Waverly had begrudgingly agreed, but only once it was settled that she would plan a date tonight.

A rush of nerves washed through Waverly’s stomach as she thought ahead to the date. The places Nicole had chosen so far seemed so fun and quirky on the surface, but Waverly was fast learning that the author saw magic in the small pockets of life that allowed her to be free. Nicole always seemed so composed and so in control, and yet Waverly had watched her choose time and time over to seek the charm of things that would strip that back - would make room for raw human impulse.

Nicole had chosen the magic of the enchanted restaurant knowing the power of wonderment; of fantasy; the sense that anything is possible. She’d sought its power to make a person feel invincible, and she’d chosen that at a time when she’d known that both she and Waverly would be nervous. In the Playzone, Nicole had sought the magic of play - of something so rarely granted beyond childhood - allowing giddy childlike excitement to rid them of the inhibitions and restraints of adult life, at a time when she’d known that Waverly needed to leave behind the burden of her guilt. In her office she’d sought a safe haven deliberately orchestrated to feel like the only place in existence, untainted by anything and free from the watchful eye of the world outside. Waverly had been her first guest.

Nicole had sought to push beyond restraint even in the way she’d fucked, even in the moments when she moved unhurriedly and deliberately. Attentively she would work to find the spots that would leave Waverly delirious, building her up until nothing registered but want and need and the unrelenting heat that burned through the brunette’s body. It was never lost on Waverly that Nicole would lose her own control only once she knew that the brunette was in that space.

Nicole presented herself to the world as composed and controlled, but she’d chosen to take Waverly with her into her corners of raw humanity. Asking her to strip it back with her. Pushing her to let go with her. It was an offering of part of herself that Waverly wanted to accept with everything she had. More, she wanted to return the favour, and lay herself bare and invite Nicole to do the same. Waverly knew already what she wanted to do tonight, but she couldn’t help but worry that it might be a little too cliché.

Waverly flicked the kettle on, the promise of caffeine already lifting the heavy pull in her tired eyes. She leaned forwards, her elbows on the counter, head in her hands as she waited for the kettle to boil. Even in her exhausted haze Waverly’s mind refused to stray from thoughts of Nicole, and she let herself indulge the memories that flooded her brain and her core.

_Waverly tangled her hands in Nicole’s hair, feeling her core tense at the moans that escaped the author’s lips as she tugged a little harder on the fistfuls of red locks. Nicole’s rolling hips pinned her down on the bed beneath her, her fingertips teasing hardened nipples. Waverly wasn’t even sure at what point her bikini top had been discarded. The redhead had lifted her with ease as she moved from the hot tub, the water trailing from both of their bodies disregarded as Nicole carried Waverly through the house. She was pretty sure she’d find the sopping wet item in a puddle somewhere in the house tomorrow morning._

_Waverly bit down on Nicole’s lower lip, sliding her hands down over the redhead’s ass. She slipped her thigh in between Nicole’s legs, and the author’s tremble of pleasure gave Waverly pause enough to flip them over, pinning the redhead beneath her on the bed. The fire in Nicole’s eyes burned as Waverly straddled her, grinding down against her as her hands explored the author’s chest._

Waverly squealed, jumping in shock as unexpected hands landed on her hips, pulling her out of her reverie. Her sister’s laugh sounded in her ears, and Waverly blushed deeply as she tried to shake her thoughts and the blatant heat they had caused.

“Someone’s a little on edge.” Wynonna teased, winking at her younger sister as she reached around her to take a mug from the shelf above Waverly’s head.

“You snuck up on me!” Waverly winced as she heard the hoarseness in her voice; a gravelly combination of her current state of arousal, her exhaustion, and the hours she’d spent moaning Nicole’s name. She felt herself blush again as she met Wynonna’s gaze, a smug grin nestled on her sister’s face.

“There are only two things on this planet that make a girl’s eyes shine that brightly, sis... and you _definitely_ haven’t touched any whiskey this morning.” Wynonna paused for effect, her smug grin widening. “You got laid.”

“What!?” Waverly laughed incredulously. “Was it _that_ obvious?”

“I know you, I’m very intuitive.” Wynonna shrugged, throwing a wink at her sister. “And also, I can see that bruise on your neck.”

Waverly felt heat prickle her face as a deep blush covered her skin, and she groaned as she pulled her hood around her neck, concealing the bruise she’d forgotten was there. She busied herself making the coffees in an effort to avoid her sister’s eyes.

“And that hoody isn’t yours. So please... tell me everything.” Wynonna threw herself into a chair, crossing her feet over on the kitchen table. She smirked. “Leaving out the parts that might scar me for life.”

Waverly shook her head and grinned, her embarrassment fading as Wynonna gestured impatiently to the chair in front of her. She laughed, putting the mugs down on the table and sliding into the chair opposite her sister.

“Fine!” Waverly relented, her grin widening as she wrapped the sleeves of Nicole’s hoody around herself, the redhead’s scent making her giddy. “Yes, I slept with Nicole.”

“Hmm?” Wynonna tilted her head as she studied her sister and cocked an eyebrow, her smug knowing smirk spread across her face.

“... Several times.” Waverly rolled her eyes and smirked as she spoke, her sister’s ability to read her never failing to amuse, frustrate and gratify her simultaneously.

“Thank you!” Wynonna held her hand up for a high five, tutting as Waverly left her hanging. “So come on, does Haught-Stuff live up to her name?”

“Thought you didn’t want the scarring details.” Waverly grinned, wriggling her eyebrows. “But _yes_. _So much_. She’s amazing Wyn, and it’s not even just the sex. She’s making me feel things I’ve never felt before, and I...”

Waverly trailed off, suddenly feeling a little coy under her sister’s gaze. In something in Wynonna’s eyes in that moment, Waverly saw her sister for who she really was. The person who loved her most in the world, and who would do absolutely anything for her; to protect her; to make her happy. In an instant, Waverly understood. All the crude comments she’d made over the years about Perry, about her high school boyfriend Champ, and about the guys who’d hit on her night after night during her shifts at Wynonna’s bar, Shorty’s. They’d all been because Wynonna knew her. _Really_ knew her, and she’d been waiting for something. The look in her sister’s eyes now told Waverly that maybe this time, Wynonna was seeing what she’d been looking for every time.

“I _really_ like her, Wynonna.”

“I can tell. I just hope she’s worth it!” Wynonna’s voice carried a teasing threat, her protective stance prominent, but she punctuated the statement with a grin.

“She’s meeting me here tonight, I was kind of hoping to ask a favour of you.” Waverly honeyed her voice, carrying her plea in her eyes.

“I am _not_ making myself scarce so you can ravage Haught on the kitchen table!” Wynonna warned, her eyebrows raised.

“N-no...” Waverly faltered, her gaze dropping to the table. Images flashed immediately through her mind of Nicole leaning back on her hands, her thighs spread wide as Waverly pulled her to the edge of the table, sinking to her knees on the floor, trailing her tongue over the redhead’s clit.

“STOP thinking about sex in front of me!”

Wynonna’s yell cut through Waverly’s thoughts and she blushed deeply as Wynonna lifted her feet off of the table, her face screwed up in disgust.

“Wh... uh. _My god._ No. Not that.” Waverly stuttered.

She closed her eyes for a moment, embarrassment coursing through her as she tried to get a handle on her sleepy, lust clouded brain. She forced them open again as Wynonna laughed.

“I was hoping I could use the roof at Shorty’s?”  
  


****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************  
  


Nicole pressed the doorbell of the Earp homestead for the second time at two minutes to seven. She stepped back as she waited, scanning the building for signs of lights or movement. She moved forward and lifted her knuckles to knock on the pane of the door, halting as it flung open, the vaguely familiar brunette stood before her now not the one she had expected to see. Taller, her hair wilder, her eyes blue compared to Waverly’s green-brown. Wynonna, she recalled. Nicole flashed her dimpled grin and opened her mouth to introduce herself, faltering when a sharp wolf whistle cut her off.

“Haught-stuff!” Wynonna greeted, her eyes deliberately scanning over Nicole in an amused effort to size her up. “Still smouldering I see. Starting to understand the glazed look in my baby sister’s eyes!”

Nicole quirked an eyebrow, grinning as she held her hand out in greeting. She’d not expected to see Wynonna tonight, but she’d heard enough about her to know she wasn’t getting through this lightly, and she was already quietly amused by Wynonna’s attitude.

“Hi Wynonna, good to see you. Waverly around?” Nicole’s amused confidence carried in her voice, and Wynonna supressed a smirk.

“Come in, she’s still getting ready.” Wynonna stepped aside, deliberately leaving just enough space for the redhead to squeeze past into the hallway.

Nicole smirked as Wynonna closed the door and pushed past her into the kitchen, gesturing with a nod of her head for the author to follow. Nicole leaned back against the kitchen counter as Wynonna poured two shot glasses, throwing one back, barely wincing as she swallowed the liquid

“Have a whiskey...” Wynonna pushed the second glass into Nicole’s hand. The brunette’s eyes landed on the kitchen table and she visibly grimaced. “And er... stay off of that table.”

Nicole’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she glanced at the table. She opened her mouth to question the statement, but thought better of it as Wynonna shuddered. She threw back her own drink, relishing the hot sting of the first taste of whiskey.

“So, what are your intentions with my baby sister?” Wynonna took the glasses back, pulling the plug from the bottle with an audible pop as she refilled them.

Nicole smirked. She couldn’t help but respect the brunette’s efforts to cast an element of intimidation. Nicole was sleeping with this girl’s younger sister, and she both understood and liked that Wynonna was protective of Waverly. She also recognised her own cocky confidence in the brunette, and she knew that Wynonna didn’t want her to break. She knew no-one would ever be good enough for Waverly in her sister’s eyes, but the only way they could ever come close is if they were strong enough and assured enough to hold their own. The one thing that Nicole knew she could be.

“You mean, besides sex on that kitchen table?”

Wynonna started, surprise crossing her face as she raised her eyebrows. Nicole flashed her dimpled grin, silently congratulating herself for seemingly solving that riddle correctly. She watched as the brunette tried, and failed, to supress a smirk. When something in Wynonna’s eyes softened, Nicole continued.

“I’ve got nothing original or profound for you Earp, I just want to put a smile on her face.”

“Ew.” Wynonna nodded, her smirk now blatant across her face.

She stepped forward, handing Nicole a second whiskey and tilting her own glass towards her. The brunette turned her face to the ceiling, presumably in the direction of Waverly’s room. Nicole noticed her face was now visibly softer.

“Honestly Haught... you’ve done that bit.” She turned back to Nicole, clinking her glass against the one in the redhead’s hand. “Just keep it there. It’s the best thing I’ve seen in years.”  
  


**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************  
  


Waverly’s heart thudded in her chest as she slid the key in the lock of the door at the top of Shorty’s bar. She’d been over during the afternoon, setting everything up, and now that Nicole waited patiently behind her the nerves were kicking in. She pushed back the door, hearing Nicole’s breath hitch slightly as she led her through to the roof.

Waverly scanned her eyes over the scene before her, trying to see it as Nicole would be now. The rooftop space was fairly small, lined with potted trees and plants that Waverly had decked in white fairy lights. In the centre of the concrete space, she’d laid an array of blankets under which she’d set a blow-up mattress to keep them from the hard floor. Several large cushions were positioned around the edge of the blanket, forming a makeshift backrest. Set to the side was a small table, on which Waverly had placed two plates, two glasses and two sets of cutlery. A cooler and a hamper sat either side. Additional fairy lights were strewn over the floor surrounding the area, giving enough of a glow for everything around them to be visible. A Sunday night in a small town meant that it was quiet up here, no cars or sounds of voices making their way up to the roof.

Waverly turned her eyes to Nicole, watching hopefully as the redhead took in her surroundings. She felt her shoulders drop and she released a breath she hadn’t realised she’d been holding as she registered the sparkle behind Nicole’s wide eyes, and the appearance of the dimples that never failed to make her knees weak.

“Is this okay?” Waverly’s voice betrayed her nerves, and she felt butterflies hit as Nicole turned to face her, wrapping her arms around her waist and pulling her in close.

“This is incredible, and so are you.” The honesty in Nicole’s voice relaxed Waverly, and she grinned as the redhead pulled her in to kiss her.

The conversation flowed easily as they ate, not caring about the crumbs as they wrapped themselves in the blankets. Full and sated, Waverly nestled into Nicole’s side as the redhead pulled them back against the cushions. Waverly reached her arm across Nicole, fumbling on the table for a small remote control. She pressed the button on the remote, and the fairy lights across the rooftop died out, leaving the intense hush of darkness around them. She heard the huff of amazement leave Nicole’s lips and she knew the redhead had instantly seen what she’d hoped she would see. She leaned back against Nicole’s side, both women’s gaze turned to the clear sky and the billions of stars dotted across the undisturbed darkness.

“When I was a child I always thought that each and every star was a different world, and on each world would be another version of myself. I used to play a game where I would choose a star and imagine what the Waverly in that world was doing right now, and what her life was like.” Waverly spoke softly, almost afraid that if she spoke too loud she would break the atmosphere.

She felt Nicole pull her closer, the redhead’s fingers tracing over her arm prompting goosebumps to raise over her skin. The author didn’t speak, but her movements told Waverly that she was listening; listening and watching and feeling.

“I still play that game sometimes. I come up here when everything feels a little overwhelming, and I play my game. I came up here so many times over the past year, always wondering what the Waverlys in the other worlds were doing, and where they were going, and who they loved. It never once occurred to me to hope that they might be living the same life I’m living.”

Waverly took a shaky breath. Something about the darkness made her emotions feel stronger. She could hear Nicole’s breathing grow heavier, and her fingers moved down to lace in Waverly’s. The gesture made her feel safe, and the same darkness made her feel braver. She wanted Nicole to understand.

“But tonight...” She pointed upwards, her gaze fixed on a star that shone brighter to her eyes than the others. “I kinda hope the Waverly on that star there is watching the sky with that world’s version of you.”

The quiet was almost overwhelming, and the meaning behind Waverly’s own words hit her. Anxiety bubbled in her chest as she waited for Nicole to respond, and she turned to look at the redhead’s face. Waverly’s breath hitched in her throat as she was met with the warmth of deep mocha eyes already looking back at her.

“Is-is that okay?” Waverly whispered, her vulnerability clutching at her chest and her stomach.

“Yeah...” Nicole’s gaze didn’t drop, and her voice was laced thick with something Waverly didn’t recognise. The redhead swallowed hard, and chuckled softly. “ _God_ , are you trying to make me fall in love tonight?”

Waverly’s blood seared through her body. How was it possible for her heart to feel like it was in both her stomach and her throat at the same time? The rhetorical question had been posed in jest, and Waverly knew it, but the look in Nicole’s eyes and the tension laced in her voice had carried those words straight into the brunette’s blood and she could feel them pumping through her body. Waverly swallowed hard, willing her brain to kick itself into gear. Nicole hadn’t said she loved her, or even that she _was_ falling in love with her. Not love. Not yet. She’d simply tried to express the way that Waverly’s words had connected with her; tried to convey that this meant something to her, and the brunette would frankly be lying if she tried to tell herself she didn’t feel the same way. That was exactly what she’d done, no? When she’d said the words that elicited Nicole’s response in the first place.

As she felt Nicole stiffen slightly beside her, Waverly squeezed her hand gently in an effort to reassure her. She rolled over, pressing herself closer into Nicole’s side, burying her face in the redhead’s neck as she let her words spill out.

“I thought I was meant for Perry because things were so easy. I always felt safe, stable, secure, and comfortable. Things were simple – I never worried, I never got jealous, I never minded when he was away, and nothing ever hurt. But I guess I never really realised that nothing ever hurt because I wasn’t invested.” Waverly paused, her fingers tracing gentle shapes over the skin of Nicole’s hand and over her arm. She could feel the goosebumps rise below her touch, and the simple reaction sent a shiver down her own spine. “With you... you make me feel so comfortable, but...”

Waverly felt Nicole’s muscles tense below her, the rise and fall of her chest halting momentarily as she held her breath. Waverly’s chest pulled as she registered the anxiety in the author’s body, awaiting the reason for the ‘but’ in the brunette’s words. Waverly closed her eyes, willing her brain to find the right words quicker, to ease the undeserved tension in Nicole’s body.

“But what Waves?” Nicole’s voice was soft, almost a whisper, as if she were afraid to prompt for the answer.

“But you terrify me.” Waverly whispered, trailing her fingers lightly over Nicole’s chest.

Waverly’s stomach dropped as Nicole pulled away, shifting their bodies so that the brunette was forced to look up at her. Even in the darkness Waverly could see the emotion behind warm, wide eyes, the furrowed eyebrows and the slight tremble of the redhead’s lips as the understanding dawned on her.

“I scare you?”

Nicole’s voice was so small, and so unassuming in that moment that Waverly couldn’t help but smile as she huffed out a heavy breath.

“Yes! Yes you do. Because... I’ve always been a planner. Always needed to know what comes next, and how to handle that. But my body, my mind, my... my heart...” Waverly felt her cheeks burn as she watched Nicole quirk an eyebrow, her dimpled grin spreading wide across her face. “They’re not in my control around you. And that scares me.”

Waverly studied Nicole’s face in the dim moonlight. Her soft eyes didn’t leave Waverly’s, and her fingers stayed linked with the brunette’s, but the flicker of uncertainty within the deep mocha tugged at Waverly’s chest. Had she said too much? Anxiety shot through her veins as she battled the fear that she might scare Nicole away. She dropped her eyes to the floor, her mind swimming as she tried to find the words to rectify everything she’d said. Nicole’s voice was clear when she spoke, however, her calm confidence ebbing away at the bubble in Waverly chest.

“You are calling _all_ the shots, Waves. I know that this is all new to you and I don’t ever want to push you somewhere you’re not ready to go, so if you need me to back off, I...”

“No!” Waverly almost yelped, the realisation hitting her. God no, that was _not_ what she had meant. “No, I...” She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing pulse and quell the heat of emotion and nerves that coursed through her body. “I’ve always wanted to do things that scare me. And I trust you. Unequivocally.” Waverly moved her body higher, trailing her fingers over Nicole’s chest to settle on the back of her neck. She dragged her nails lightly over the redhead’s skin, leaning in to close her lips around the author’s earlobe as she whispered her plea. “Don’t hurt me, Haught.”

Waverly’s stomach flipped as Nicole’s hiss of arousal hit her skin. She trailed hot kisses over the redhead’s jawline, the nervous heat dropping to her core as Nicole moved to capture her lips in a searing kiss. As Nicole pulled back to speak, Waverly mapped her kisses back over her jawline, and down over her neck.

“Waverly, I’ve never met anyone who makes me feel the way you do. Who makes me hang on every word they say like you do. Understands me like you do. Gives me butterflies like you do.” Nicole’s voice was low, the husk of arousal already lacing itself through her words. She groaned as Waverly bit down on her pulse point. “Makes me _come_ like you do. As long...”

Waverly couldn’t control the groan that escaped her at the redhead’s words and she bit down again, not caring if she left a mark, and Nicole’s responding gasp cut her words off. Waverly shifted, placing her thighs either side of Nicole’s lap, pushing her down against the pillows as she continued the dance of her tongue and her lips over the redhead’s neck. Strong fingers tangled in her hair, tugging gently to pull her up. As Waverly brushed her lips over Nicole’s, the redhead’s hand on her chest held her back. She fixed her gaze on Nicole’s blackened, burning eyes, her breath catching in her throat as the author finally managed to whisper the words she was trying to say.

“As long as you want me, I will be by your side.”

The need that coursed through Waverly in that moment overwhelmed her, and she crashed their lips together in a heated kiss. She slipped her tongue almost immediately into Nicole’s mouth, moaning as the redhead sucked on it. Waverly ground her hips down slowly, the small moan her actions elicited from Nicole echoing directly through her core. Her desire burned an unrelenting path through her body, and she wanted to turn Nicole into the quivering mess of want and need that she knew she had been herself every time that the redhead had fucked her.

Waverly pinned Nicole’s hands above her head, holding them there with one of her own as she reached back to turn on the fairy light remote. She needed Nicole to be able to see her, and she needed to watch the reactions that she could pull from the author. She felt a fresh rush of arousal hit her core as she took in the flushed sight of the redhead, her lips swollen and her chest heaving.

Continuing to grind her hips excruciatingly slowly, Waverly lifted her dress up above her head, leaving her in her carefully chosen red and black laced underwear. Waverly felt her confidence increase as Nicole’s hooded eyes scanned her body and she leaned forward, reaching out to run her hands over the newly exposed flesh. Waverly placed her hand in the centre of the redhead’s chest, pushing her back down with a smug smirk and a slow shake of her head. She chuckled softly at Nicole’s wide eyes, dark with desire, her brows furrowed in confusion.

“You can look... but you can’t touch.” Waverly kept her voice low, and rolled her hips harder, bringing her hands to her own hair. “Yet.”

Waverly’s centre pulsed as Nicole growled in both arousal and frustration, her fists clenching as she tried to resist the urge to touch her. Waverly ran her hands over her own bra clad breasts, massaging her fingers gently over the material. She moaned softly as she felt her nipples harden under her touch. Nicole’s hips were already bucking up into her as the redhead tried to control her desire, and the movement was connecting with Waverly’s centre in the most delicious way. She groaned, grinding down harder, then clamped her thighs down to still Nicole’s movement.

“That counts as touching, Haught. It’s _my_ turn right now. _You_ have to _wait_.” Waverly hissed, smirking as she shifted slightly higher, so that the damp material of her underwear was now pressed against the trembling muscles of Nicole’s stomach.

Waverly reached a hand behind her, unclasping her bra. She ran her hands back over her breasts, squeezing gently as she pulled the material away. The chill of the air hit her nipples, pulling them tighter, and she felt a further wave of arousal pool in her soaked underwear as Nicole’s lust drunk eyes raked over her body. Waverly ground her centre over the tight muscles of Nicole’s stomach, biting her lip as the redhead’s eyes rolled back and a low growl escaped her.

“ _Fuck_ Waves, I can feel how wet you are.” Nicole’s words were husky through her gritted teeth, the need within her voice serving only to turn Waverly on more.

“This is what you do to me Nicole.” She ground her centre again, her head thrown back, her fingers rolling her own nipples between them. “You haven’t even touched me, and I can feel every part of me pulsing for you.” Waverly trailed her hands down her own stomach, moaning loudly as she rolled her hips just as Nicole tensed her muscles.

“Let me touch you baby.”

The words were intended as a plea, but the low growl of Nicole’s arousal demanded in her voice, and it sent a shiver down Waverly’s spine. She knew she was pushing Nicole exactly where she wanted her to be, and it turned her on to no end.

“Not yet.” Waverly mirrored Nicole’s demanding tone, and smirked as she slipped her fingers under the waistband of her own underwear. She connected her gaze with Nicole’s as she slid her fingers over her own clit, the fire behind the redhead’s burning eyes spurring her on. She wanted to push Nicole until she couldn’t wait anymore; didn’t ask anymore, and just claimed what she wanted. She kept her voice low, allowing the lust soaked break to sound clear within it. “Baby you drive me crazy. All it takes is for you to touch me, and I don’t know anything but the way that you feel. This time...”

Waverly kept her eyes trained on Nicole’s, releasing a deliberately languid guttural moan as she slowly sank two fingers into her own core. The moans fell faster from her lips as she fucked herself, grinding down into Nicole’s stomach for leverage. The redhead whimpered softly, her fists still clenched tight as her eyes flicked between Waverly’s face and her fingers as they drove in and out of herself.

“This time it’s _you_ who won’t remember your own name.” Waverly’s words were strained, punctuated erratically with gasps and moans of her pleasure at her own fingers.

As she could feel herself nearing her orgasm Waverly withdrew her fingers, pushing them into Nicole’s mouth, smirking at the redhead’s choked groan in response. Waverly’s other hand worked the button of Nicole’s jeans as the author sucked her fingers clean. Without warning, Waverly sank her fingers into Nicole’s underwear, knowing that the redhead was on the brink of snapping. She closed two fingers around Nicole’s clit, dragging them up either side, swallowing the redhead’s moan as she kissed her deeply. Waverly gasped in shock, then grinned as the switch was finally flipped and Nicole spun them over, pulling her own shirt hurriedly over her head. Supressing a smirk, Waverly allowed Nicole to control their movements for a moment, reaching around to rid the redhead of her bra. She could feel her desire building rapidly as Nicole kissed her heatedly, her hands roaming the brunette’s body. As Nicole pressed her thigh against Waverly’s centre, the brunette flipped them over again, the redhead’s gasp of shock breaking their kiss.

“I don’t believe I said you could touch.” Waverly heard the hoarse desire in her own voice and she winked as Nicole chuckled, her laugh tangled with a groan of frustration.

Waverly trailed kisses over Nicole’s chest, paying particular attention to her hardened nipples, sucking the taut flesh into her mouth. She bit down gently over the curve where the soft flesh of the redhead’s stomach met her ribs, remembering the sounds she’d elicited when she’d last done that. The searing heat and the raised goosebumps of the skin below her lips and the trembling muscles under her fingers encouraged her, and she felt her own stomach flip as she pushed Nicole closer to the state she wanted her in. She continued her kisses down over Nicole’s abs, removing her jeans and underwear together, trailing her lips and her tongue down the inside of the author’s thighs. She clenched her own thighs as she felt the redhead start to writhe impatiently below her, trying to push Waverly to where she needed her the most.

“God, _please_ Waverly.” Nicole’s voice trembled with desperate need, and her cheeks flushed deeper as Waverly cocked an eyebrow, the redhead’s pleas burning in her core.

“What do you want baby?” Waverly dragged her words out, allowing her smug smirk to play across her lips.

“ _You!_ ” Nicole’s answer was strangled in a groan as Waverly bit down on the soft flesh of her inner thigh. “I want _you_. Please just fuck me.”

Waverly groaned, biting down harder on Nicole’s thigh. The redhead begging to be touched was exactly what she wanted, and the knowledge that she could reduce her to this was pulling hard in Waverly’s core. She slipped her tongue slowly over Nicole’s centre, whimpering softly as she made her contact with the extent of the redhead’s arousal. The frantic hands in her hair and Nicole’s writhing hips begged their mercy of her and Waverly relented, her own desire now clouding too thick to deny the author what she wanted any longer. She sucked Nicole’s clit into her mouth, humming in arousal as the redhead’s sounds of relief and pleasure hit her ears. Waverly closed her mouth around Nicole’s swollen clit, tracing circles with the tip of her tongue. As Nicole’s moans grew louder and the redhead pressed herself harder into Waverly’s mouth, the brunette gradually tightened and quickened her circular movements.

“ _More_.”

The desperation in Nicole’s pleading moan was stronger than Waverly had heard it before, and her blood boiled in her veins as she realised she’d hit her goal. Nicole was a quivering mess of need and it drove Waverly wilder than she’d realised it would. She moved up to kiss Nicole, pushing her thighs up around her waist and sinking two fingers hard into the redhead, making sure to grind her palm firmly against her clit. Nails grasping hard over her back spurred her on, and she curled her fingers with every thrust, met every time with thick moans that left her on the edge of her own orgasm. Nicole’s guttural sounds, her glazed eyes, the sweat over her forehead, the red of her chest and her neck, the tremble in every muscle, and the desperate way she was gripping onto Waverly’s shoulders were the most erotic thing the brunette could ever remember experiencing, and she growled in her own desire as she drove her fingers as hard and as deeply as she could.

Waverly moved her thumb to brush over Nicole’s clit, and the redhead’s moans grew silent. Her mouth fell open and her head dropped back as she clenched hard around Waverly’s fingers, her cry escaping loudly as her orgasm finally hit.

Waverly slowed the movement of her fingers, pressing them hard against the spot she’d worked as Nicole rode out the last waves of her climax, gripping tightly onto Waverly’s shoulders. Waverly grinned as the grip loosened, and she felt Nicole’s body wilt back against the pillows. The redhead’s flushed face, coy smile, dilated pupils, and her heaving chest tugged heavily on both Waverly’s heart and her core.

She was pretty sure that nothing could ever be more attractive.


	9. Take My Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review as always, I'm still learning and I love to hear what you guys think!
> 
> I apologise for the lack of Wayhaught in this one, but it's needed! The final chapter will be here before Sunday night though ;)

Waverly pulled the car into the parking lot of the publishing office, her designated space feeling alien somehow as she settled the vehicle into it and switched off the engine. It had only been two days since she’d last been here, but it felt like everything had changed. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, leaning back against the headrest. Her stomach was in knots and the overwhelming sensation of nausea sat heavy in her chest. Should she even be here? Would Perry be expecting her today?

As Waverly made her way into the office, she kept her eyes to the floor. She couldn’t help the paranoia that crept over her as she passed the other occupants, feeling like all eyes were on her. Would they know? Waverly felt the cold clam of sweat on her hands, her anxiety taking its effect on her body. If she went straight to her desk, would that be too presumptuous? Did she even have a job here anymore? But then the alternative would be to go to Perry’s office and confront him, and would he want to see her? Would she make things worse if she did? What was she supposed to say? 

Waverly inhaled deeply and clenched her fists tight, closing her eyes momentarily as she tried to push her body through the rush of nerves and anxiety, and her brain’s barrage of questions. Whatever the outcome, she needed to face Perry sooner or later. If she spent today avoiding him it would only make her more anxious, and then she’d almost be putting herself through the pain twice. She blew the air out slowly, letting her shoulders drop and her palms fall open. She headed straight for Perry’s office.

As she rounded the corner, Waverly’s step faltered briefly as she caught sight of Perry heading towards her, making his way to his office with one of the other editors, Jeremy in tow. He looked as well put together as he always did, although his eyes looked more tired; his face more drawn. Waverly felt the familiar stab of guilt course through her as her ex-boyfriend’s eyes met her own and she registered the hurt that flashed through them fleetingly. Perry dropped his gaze from Waverly’s as he opened the door to his office, ushering Jeremy inside. Waverly hovered, unsure whether to retreat or whether to wait. She felt strangely calm seeing Perry’s face, until his steely voice broke through her nerve, and her unease hit stronger than ever.

“Take a seat Waverly, I won’t be a minute.”

Waverly nodded wordlessly, her anxiety building higher as she sat on the hard sofa outside Perry’s office. She focused her eyes on her own lap, her hands wringing over themselves as she waited. She felt sick; her mind screaming with a host of contradicting emotions that spun through her. Guilt, fear, frustration, shame, embarrassment, loss. Waverly’s blood ran hot then cold as her brain overwhelmed her, and her chest heaved as her breath came shorter and faster. She needed air and she stood, turning to head back down the corridor towards the exit.

The sound of the office door opening stopped Waverly in her tracks and she spun back, fists clenched once more as she fought her body’s urge to run. Jeremy nodded in her direction with a kind smile as he exited, and gestured into the room, instructing Waverly to enter. She moved slowly, her eyes fixed on Perry’s face, searching for signs of hurt, or signs of anger, or even signs of relief – anything that would prepare her for what was about to come. Perry’s face was expressionless, his eyes blank; composed. Unreadable. Perry stayed perched on the edge of his bay windowsill, keeping the distance between them greater than it felt necessary in the large room. Waverly hesitated as her ex-boyfriend watched her silently, and her nerve faltered under his hard gaze. She’d hoped he would start the conversation, but he seemed to be waiting. She swallowed hard.

“I didn’t know if I should come...” Waverly cursed herself for the unsteady rasp of her voice, pushing her shoulders back in an effort to convince her body to compose itself.

Perry took a step towards Waverly, keeping the thick wooden expanse of his desk between them. He didn’t sit, nor did he suggest that Waverly did so. Perry’s stance was composed – professional, distanced – but the awkward tension was unmistakable both in the air and in his body. When he spoke, Perry’s voice was empty; none of its usual warmth or passion.

“Waverly, my personal affairs should not affect my business. I have always tried my best not to treat you differently, and I will try to maintain that now. You are a genuinely talented editor, and you will continue to have a place in this company should you want one.”

The relief washed over Waverly harder than she had expected it to. She had been preparing herself for the worst case scenario, and despite the emotionless tone of Perry’s voice, his words swam through her veins with more power than she had anticipated. _She wasn’t losing her job._

“Thank you, Perry.” The words didn’t feel appropriate. Waverly wanted to say more; wanted to address the elephant in the room, but Perry’s distanced composure felt like an obtrusive barrier.

Perry nodded curtly, dropping his eyes to his hands as they wrung together. For the first time since Waverly had entered the room, Perry’s expression softened, the hurt she had seen a glimmer of earlier now settling heavy in his eyes. This time when he spoke his voice was thick, his hours of grief evident in the strain in his words.

“I miss you, Waves. The house hasn’t felt right without you.”

“Perry...” Waverly’s voice faltered and her blood ran cold. She couldn’t do this again, and not here.

“No, please. Just hear me out.” Perry cut her off, traces of the desperation she had heard on Friday running clear through his voice. “I want you to reconsider taking some time and space, don’t write me off just yet.”

Waverly’s heart sank. She’d anticipated this might happen in the restless hours she’d spent worrying about this during the night, but Perry’s initial composure had led her to believe that they were past this. She didn’t want to have to do this again; didn’t want to have to hurt him again.

“I can’t do that Perry. I meant what I said before. I’m...” Waverly’s voice shook, guilt and a remorseful hint of frustration lacing her words. She’d told him. She’d done this bit. She couldn’t face this again, she wasn’t strong enough.

“I know!” Perry cut her off again, his pitch rising as he clutched at his argument. “I know what you said but...”

Perry sighed, moving round the desk, finally closing the space between them. He reached his hands out towards her, and Waverly took a step back, her own arms folded across her chest. Perry faltered, his arms dropping down by his sides as he sat back against the edge of his desk.

“Look, Waves I understand that you’re going through something. You’re questioning who you are, and you’re confused and I get that but I just think you’re finding your answers in the wrong places.”

“What exactly is that supposed to mean?” The frustration that Waverly was working to supress began to push its way to the surface, the waves rippling through her chest and sounding clearly in her voice.

Perry fidgeted, his expression flitting from hurt, to confusion, to anger, and back. He opened his mouth a few times, seemingly assessing his words and how to phrase them. Something in his hesitation grated across Waverly’s spine, and she felt her defences fly up in preparation for his next move.

“I just don’t see how you can be _gay_ , Waverly. What we had was so great, I _felt_ it. How can you turn around now and tell me that you didn’t feel it too? And because I’m a _man?_ ”

Waverly balked, her brain stuttering. She huffed out a breath of frustration as she searched for the answers she still didn’t have. Did anyone ever have these answers? She scanned Perry’s face, the boyish vulnerability in his eyes softening her agitation. She closed her eyes for a moment as she scrambled to collect her thoughts. If she couldn’t understand this herself, how was Perry supposed to?

“Perry I loved you. I still love you. But I’m not _in love_ with you.” Waverly spoke slowly, testing the words as they formed. “I just didn’t realise because I didn’t understand how it felt to feel those things. I’m so sorry, and... god, I _hate_ myself for saying this but...” Waverly dropped her eyes. She needed to say the words – it was the only way that Perry would understand - but she couldn’t bring herself to watch the hurt she knew it would cause. “It was _then_ that I was confused, Perry. Not now.”

“What, and you think you know that now? How that feels?” Perry scoffed, his pain and his humiliation manifesting once more in anger. “For Haught? You think it’s _real_ with her, Waverly?”

Waverly winced, aware that the words were needling her more than she should have allowed them to. She knew Perry, understood him, and she knew that he was challenging her now born of his own despair.

“Perry, this isn’t about Nicole. This is about you, and how I feel for you. And I don’t feel what I should feel. I’m sorry.” She fought to keep her voice calm and firm, knowing that allowing her own frustration to seep out too strongly would only hurt Perry more than was necessary.

“But it _is_ about her, isn’t it. Because before her, you were mine. And now...” As Perry trailed off, his fight crumbled. His eyes brimmed with tears, and his shoulders drooped.

Perry fixed his gaze on Waverly’s and she recognised his concern in them. She realised that in this moment Perry genuinely believed he was right, and that broke her heart the most. He really didn’t understand, and she didn’t see how she could make him.

“Waverly, I know you. Okay? I know that you’re always obsessed - infatuated with your strong female characters and your authors, and this is no different Waves. Just because Haught is gay and she’s paying you a bit of attention, it doesn’t mean that it’s any different. It doesn’t mean that _you’re_ gay.”

Perry’s voice was soft, his tone carrying the same compassion he had used to reassure Waverly time and time over during their relationship. The words carried no intent of malice, and Waverly winced as she realised that he believed he was demonstrating understanding. Perry was actively breaking down everything she had laid herself bare to tell him, under the stark misapprehension that he knew her better than she knew herself. The anger surged fast into her chest, and she heard the snap in her own voice harsher than she had intended.

“That is _no_ t what this is Perry. Do not talk to me about things that you don’t understand.”

Perry held his hands up, his palms turned towards Waverly in an act of defense that served only to frustrate her further. The soft tone of his voice, the certainty in his eyes, the way he seemed so sure that he was handling this in the best way he could be – it all served only to stoke the fire of her agitation.

“Baby, think about it. Whatever this is with Haught, it isn’t real. It’s just another story that Waverly Earp is losing herself in the pages of.”

Waverly froze, the words stinging as though they’d slapped her across the face. The anger and the humiliation burned molten through her blood, and she stuttered as she spat out her response.

“Whatever you think about this changes _nothing_ , Perry. Nicole or not, I _don’t want_...“ Waverly halted, the next words smarting as they hung on her lips. She dropped her voice, the sound small as she realised the power in the statement she was about to make. “I don’t want you anymore.”

The words hung in the air, reverberating in the wound evident in Perry’s eyes. His lips parted and his chest heaved as he processed them. Waverly watched, frozen as Perry closed his eyes and stood. He turned away, heading back towards his bay window. When Perry turned around, his face once more was empty, his distanced composure back like a mask – seemingly too easy to take on and off.

“You understand, Waverly, that I can’t allow you to continue to lead on Haught’s book?”

“ _What?”_ Waverly felt the betrayal of a blush as she heard the squeak in her own voice, her emotions getting the better of her. “What happened to ‘my personal affairs should not affect my business’, Perry?”

“That is exactly why I will be pulling you from this contract.” Perry’s voice betrayed no emotion, and his stance once more held a wall between them.

“ _Bullshit.”_ Waverly knew she needed to collect herself. This was work, and this was Perry’s business, but she couldn’t control the anger that coursed through her. “You know how important this manuscript is to me. You’re hurt, and you’re jealous, and you just want to hurt me back.”

Cold anger leaked its way back into Perry’s gaze, and Waverly knew she had crossed a line. Perry paused, studying Waverly’s face and she braced herself, her fists clenched as she waited for him to respond.

“My _ex -girlfriend_ or not Waverly, I cannot have you representing my company with your head between the author’s legs.”

The bite of bitterness snapped sharp behind Perry’s composure and Waverly balked. It may have been apparent that Perry’s personal emotions were impacting his decision, but he was also right and Waverly knew it. This was business for Perry and Nicole was his client - had been _her_ client - and she knew deep down that she had overstepped the mark.

“Waverly, take the week off. Starting next Monday, you will report to Henry. I need your skills, but I don’t need you working alongside me any longer. Understood?”  
  


*******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

_Mia felt the hot sting of tears well in her eyes as she watched Emily pack her bags silently. The searing pain of loss and heartbreak burned through her veins, and yet somehow a still numbness overwhelmed her. The sharp conflicts of her emotions smarted in Mia’s chest, a hazy battle between the grief and the liberation. The grief; the loss of a life with someone she truly cared for. Truly loved, in her own way. The bitter blow of guilt through her soul each time Emily’s broken eyes crossed her mind. The liberation; the relief– the understanding that sometimes you have to realise that some people can stay in your heart but not in your life. She wasn’t in love. Emily wasn’t the match, her code wasn’t the one. Sometimes the way that you think about a person isn’t the way that they actually are. Mia had made a mistake. This was how it had to be._

Waverly’s leg jostled hard under the dining table in the kitchen of the homestead, her trembling fingers gripped hard around her mug of coffee. Her knuckles whitened with the effort of clinging to something, anything that could ground her. The anxiety that rippled through her overwhelmed her as she searched Nicole’s manuscript for her appeasement. Nicole had added the passage in after Waverly’s outburst, building the editor’s own emotion into the mind of Mia Semper in a way that was both haunting and empowering to read. This time though, her usual outlet only added to the state of panic that Perry’s words had landed her in. Waverly had sought immediately the pages of ‘Red Ribbon Frayed’, wanting to read Nicole’s words and find comfort in the way they soothed her. Today though, any comfort that the words could bring her only conflicted with the fear that just maybe something in Perry’s accusations could be true.

Waverly let her mind wander over Nicole’s words, the ones she’d heard echoed in her mind over and over again since the author had first uttered them.

_I figure I lost myself in creating another world so that I didn’t have to spend every day regretting my own._

Waverly groaned in frustration as the tears welled in her eyes, her vision fogging. Nicole’s words were so loud in her head; ringing so true. Burying her head in another world to escape her own was what she had always done. Perry’s words too were intrusive daggers in her mind, forcing their way into the forefront of her thoughts.

_It isn’t real. It’s just another story that Waverly Earp is losing herself in the pages of._

Had she blurred the lines this time?

_Just because Haught is gay and she’s paying you a bit of attention, it doesn’t mean that it’s any different_.

If a different author had paid her the same attention, what would have happened? Perry knew her, didn’t he? What if he was seeing something in her that she’d missed? After all, Wynonna seemed to have seen things in her that she didn’t realise, so why shouldn’t Perry?

Waverly bunched one hand into her hair, resting her elbow on the surface of the table. She let the tears fall as she stared unseeing at the screen of her laptop, silently willing the words she knew so well to work their magic. The sound of heavy footsteps padding through the kitchen, and the running water that filled the kettle barely drove into Waverly’s thought stream before her sister’s hands reached out in front of her, calmly prising the now cold mug of coffee from her grip.

Waverly dropped both arms to the table, lifting her tear stained gaze to Wynonna as she sat quietly opposite her. Her sister’s expression was one of compassion, the raised eyebrows and the questioning concern in her eyes softening Waverly’s panic ridden state for a moment.

“I saw Perry.” Waverly’s voice was hoarse, the crack of choked back tears audible through it.

“Shit.”

The word was simple. Meaningless, but in the soft tone of Wynonna’s voice and the expression on her face, Waverly heard the words that her sister didn’t say. _I understand. That’s painful. Tell me as much as you need to. I’m here and I’m listening._ Waverly took a deep breath, trying to stay the tears and the shake in her voice.

“He said things with Nicole aren’t real. That it’s just another infatuation with an author. Wynonna, I...”

“Believe him?”

Wynonna’s words cut Waverly off, and the brunette stuttered at the directness of her sister’s question. The word ‘believe’ suggested a choice, and something in that threw Waverly off course. Did she believe Perry’s accusations? _No_. Not really, but what if she didn’t understand herself like he understood her? What if Perry saw things she hadn’t?

“Well I... no, I don’t think so, but... I’ve been wrong before, Wyn! I thought I was straight for 23 years, and it turns out I might have been wrong about that, so who says I’m not wrong about this? Perry says he could _feel_ that I’m not gay...” Waverly felt the mocking tone of her own voice creep in and she cocked her fingers in the air as she quoted Perry’s words. “And that just because Nicole fancies me that doesn’t mean I fancy her... what if he’s right, and I’m just confused? How the hell would I know?”

“Megan Wilson.” Wynonna stood as she spoke, busying herself with the now boiled kettle and the coffees.

“Wh-what?” Waverly stuttered, confusion replacing the panicked haze in her mind.

“Megan Wilson. Your first grade dance buddy. You came home after that first dance lesson and all you could talk about was how pretty Megan Wilson’s eyes were, and the colour of the bow in her hair. For months of you going to that class I tried to get you to tell me about the dancing. I couldn’t tell you a single thing you learned Babygirl, but I know that Megan Wilson used shampoo that smelled like cotton candy.”

Wynonna’s voice was calm, steady, and certain, and it baffled Waverly further. She furrowed her brows, her brain spinning as it tried to play catch up with the conversation’s sudden turn.

“Okay...” Waverly prompted, pushing her sister to continue, assuming an explanation must be due.

“Natalie Martin. My 10th grade math tutor. Every time she came round in her button down shirt and her thick framed glasses, little 11 year old Waverly would be peeping round the door of my bedroom, drooling and sweating gently...” Wynonna smirked, playful teasing creeping into her voice as she handed Waverly her coffee.

“I’m fairly certain that is not _quite_ how that went.” Waverly couldn’t help but return the smirk, shaking her head at her sister’s words. “And what...”

“And Chrissie Nedley.” Wynonna cut her off pointedly. “For that one weird period in 9th grade after you saw her changing in the locker rooms and couldn’t look her in the eyes for a month.” Wynonna grinned, cocking an eyebrow and pointing a finger gun in Waverly’s direction.

“Are you going somewhere with this, Wynonna?” Waverly grinned despite the blush that crept over her neck at Wynonna’s accurate memory of the incident with Chrissie Nedley. Even as the words left her lips, Waverly knew exactly where her sister was going with it, and the realisation was somewhat both overwhelming and calming at once.

“Waves, this is not new for you. I know it’s something that you’re discovering about yourself at the surface now Babygirl, but you do not have to shoehorn every feeling you’ve ever had into a neatly labelled box just because your ex-boyfriend’s ego has taken a bruising.”

Wynonna’s words rang through Waverly’s ears, and she could swear she could feel them seeping into the bubble of anxiety in her chest and bursting it from the inside out. Waverly’s own mind and her own heart were more than capable of telling her how she felt; they always had done, and just because she hadn’t always understood what they were telling her, didn’t mean that it was any less valid.

“And as for Haught...” Wynonna continued, her lips twitching as she tried to supress a smirk.

Waverly blushed as she felt her nerves prick up at the sound of Nicole’s name, her heart beating a little faster and her body leaning forwards instinctively. Butterflies threatened in her stomach as she waited for her sister’s take on her feelings towards Nicole.

“Yeah, you know what, maybe Perry’s right.” Wynonna shrugged.

Waverly’s stomach dropped and she felt her blood run cold.

“Wait, what?” Waverly spoke quietly, almost afraid to ask in fear of the response.

“Maybe he’s right. She’s just another author. Just another infatuation.” Wynonna swigged nonchalantly at her coffee, her gaze avoiding Waverly’s.

“Wha... _but_...” Desperation rushed through Waverly’s mind and she scrabbled for the words to fight her sister’s. Everything that Wynonna had said had made Waverly think that she was on her side on this, and now she wasn’t? Didn’t she understand what Nicole meant to her? Waverly had really thought she did.

“Hmm?” Wynonna raised her eyes to meet Waverly’s, questions dancing within them, pushing her sister on.

“But... _no_ , Wynonna she _can’t_ be.” Waverly choked on the words as she fought to push them out, desperate to make someone else understand.

“Well why not?” Wynonna challenged, her questioning gaze still fixed on Waverly’s.

“Because if that’s true, then why does it feel like her eyes are the only ones I’ve ever known?”

Wynonna cocked an eyebrow, a knowing smirk pulling at the sides of her lips and she nodded slowly. Realisation washed over Waverly and she huffed out a laugh as she acknowledged that she’d been played. Her sister was smart, and she knew her well, and _god_ did Waverly love her. Waverly stood hastily, rushing around the table to wrap her arms around Wynonna, pulling her in and planting a kiss on the side of her head.

“Jesus wept, that shit about her eyes was soft as fuck, woman.” Wynonna laughed, shaking her head in disbelief. “But you can’t make yourself stop dreaming of who you’re dreaming of, baby sis.”  
  


*******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Perry paced his office, fighting hard against the ripples of agitation that took hold of his muscles. He couldn’t make himself understand. He knew that Waverly had always had her head in her own world, but... that was just who she was. It was her charm, it was endearing. It was one of the things he loved so much about her. She loved him! He’d always known she loved him. Hadn’t he? He hadn’t doubted it before. Waverly was confused, and it wasn’t helping that she’d been so close to Nicole. While Perry was away, Waverly had been finding the answers to her questions in Nicole Haught. The wrong answers, maybe even to the wrong questions. Even this weekend while Perry had let Waverly be, stepping back to give her space, she’d been...

Perry couldn’t bring himself to allow the thought into his mind. While he had opted to grant Waverly the space he felt she needed, Haught was closing in and it would sway Waverly’s decision. It wasn’t fair on Waverly, she needed space and time, even if she didn’t realise it yet.

Perry threw himself into his chair, pulling himself up to desk. He buried his head in his hands, willing his brain to focus on his work. He needed to speak with Oliver Raines and explain that Jeremy would be taking Haught’s book. Somehow he doubted that was going to be an easy conversation, and he was all too aware that the contract specified Waverly as the agreed editor. There was no other way, and if he needed to disclose his reasons then he would have to do so, but he would much prefer to spare both himself and Waverly the embarrassment.

Perry pulled the contact up in his mobile phone, Oliver’s name bright on the large screen. He let his eyes linger over the digits for a brief moment, before dropping the phone to the table and pulling his laptop closer, typing into the search function of his database. Perry held his breath, fighting his conscience down just a little longer as he punched the numbers into his phone and waited for the answer on the other end.

“Nicole Haught? Perry Crofte at Willows Publishers.”

Perry took a deep breath as Nicole’s voice sounded on the other end of the line. He could hear the uncertainty in it, and he pushed his conscience down once more. This was Haught’s contract, and he had every right to discuss it with her directly. Even if it wasn’t necessarily the done thing. He huffed a breath out through his cheeks as he carried on, the firm steel to his voice harder than it needed to be as he fought his resentment.

“Listen, we need to make some changes to your contract. I’m afraid Miss Earp will no longer be available to edit your work, and we will need to reallocate the project to another editor.”

“There was a condition to our contract, Mr Crofte...”

Nicole’s voice was strong, the confidence behind it riling Perry up further, and he struggled to fight the contempt in his voice as he cut her off.

“I am aware, Haught. And I also know _why_.” The silent pause on the other end prompted Perry on, and he allowed the cold disinterest to return to his voice. “Miss Earp came to see me this morning. We have talked things through, and it has been agreed that Waverly will not work with you anymore. Jeremy Chetri will take the contract. Correspondence must now be with him.”

“ _You_ decided that... or Waverly did?”

The falter in Nicole’s voice was subtle, but it was present, and Perry recognised the trace of fear and uncertainty that ran through it. This was his business, and he was well within his rights to withdraw Waverly from the contract, and that much was undisputable. What Nicole made of that was for her to handle. Perry blanched as he processed the reason behind Nicole’s fears. She cared. She wanted Waverly, and in Waverly’s mind right now this was mutual. The pain and the jealousy seared in Perry’s chest, and his composure dropped. The decision was instantaneous, and he knew that his conscience would later suffer, but Waverly needed his help. She wasn’t getting the space she needed.

“Waverly is confused and hurting and she needs her headspace. Please pay all of this no mind. She often gets infatuated with our authors, and it never lasts long. Mr Chetri will be in contact.”


	10. Watch Me Fly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last one of this fic guys!  
> Thank you SO much to those of you who are still reading. I've loved writing this one, and it's been amazing to have your feedback.  
> Please do leave your thoughts, I'd love to know how it's gone down! =)

Nicole hovered her thumb over the call button, Waverly’s contact raised on her screen. Every rational part of her brain told her to press the button, and to ignore Perry’s words. She trusted Waverly and she knew - had _felt -_ that everything the brunette had told her negated the things her ex-boyfriend had said. So why had he needled her so hard?

Nicole worked hard to always keep herself in control, to be the master of her own mind, and she hated that Perry had got under her skin. She locked the screen of her phone, pushing it back into her pocket. Despite the part of her that knew that she shouldn’t believe what she’d been told, Nicole couldn’t talk about this with Waverly when the doubt in her mind was so consuming. If Perry was wrong, like she hoped he was, then Waverly didn’t deserve to be doubted. It wouldn’t be fair, and she needed to get her head in check.

But... if Perry was right? What if Waverly needed space? She had only just come out of the relationship, was Nicole pushing her into something she wasn’t ready for? Nicole took a deep breath, huffing the air out shakily through pursed lips. Somewhere deep down she knew that the answer to that was _no_. Waverly wanted this as much as she did, Nicole was sure of it, but she couldn’t shake the feelings of nausea that filled her chest. She couldn’t cope with the idea that she was influencing Waverly’s mind in any way. Something about it felt predatory, and it made her blood run cold.

Nicole closed her eyes, pressing her head back against the headrest of her car as the thought she’d been trying her hardest to push down forced its way into her mind. Perry had said they’d talked things through. He’d _meant_ to be ambiguous and she knew it. He’d wanted her to believe that he was talking about their relationship. Every rational part of her brain knew that, and knew better than to believe him, but the thought still hurt and she was struggling to keep a handle on the bubbling feelings of paranoia.

Taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly, Nicole dragged herself from the car, locking it behind her. She glanced up at the Shorty’s sign across the saloon doors of the bar. It hadn’t necessarily been a conscious decision, and it maybe wasn’t her best one, but she knew she needed someone straight talking and she figured that if she really was something bad in Waverly’s life... well Wynonna would tell her so.

As the saloon doors swung closed behind her in the almost empty room, Nicole watched as Wynonna’s eyes landed on hers from behind the bar, her eyebrows raised in question. Nicole offered the brunette a small smile as she took a seat at the bar, noting the smirk on Wynonna’s face as she bent down to the fridge below the top.

“What brings you here Tater-Haught? I’m the wrong Earp for a repeat of your rooftop shenanigans.” Wynonna grinned and winked as she slid a beer across the bar towards Nicole.

Nicole chuckled lightly, shaking her head. Despite the battle in her mind, she still felt the burn of a blush fill her cheeks as memories of the night before flashed through her vision.

“No comeback?” Wynonna’s tone was softer, more gently inquisitive. “Something’s wrong...”

“I was kind of hoping to run into you, actually.” Nicole forced her eyes up to meet Wynonna’s and let her shoulders raise in a small shrug. “This is a little too ‘wear it on my sleeve’ for me usually, but I don’t know who else to talk to.”

Something flashed across Wynonna’s eyes, too clear for Nicole to miss but too vague for her to interpret. Recognition? Understanding? But, was that something like anger?

“Waverly?”

Wynonna’s voice was stiff, and her eyes still held something Nicole couldn’t quite put her finger on. She hesitated, knocked by the fear that Wynonna was holding something back. Perhaps Waverly had spoken to her already. Nicole nodded slowly, feeling her heart pound in her ears as Wynonna’s gaze stayed fixed on her own. The brunette’s eyes softened, and she returned the nod. Nicole took a swig of her beer, willing her voice not to betray her emotions as she spoke.

“Perry called me. He said some pretty shitty things, and I’m doing my best to ignore them, but...”

Nicole faltered as the anger flared clearer in Wynonna’s eyes, but once again Wynonna nodded, raising an eyebrow by way of encouraging Nicole to continue.

“He told me that Waverly is confused and hurt and she needs her headspace, and I don’t know what to do. She seems so sure in herself, and everything feels so real between us, but...”

A rush of anxiety flooded through Nicole’s stomach as she registered the protective look in Wynonna’s eyes, and the way she folded her arms across her chest. How had she thought that this would be a good idea? Wynonna was clearly not the person she should be voicing these concerns to.

“But what, Haught?”

Wynonna’s voice was a lot less tense than Nicole had expected it to be, but the fire behind her eyes was still present as she leant on her elbows over the bar, decreasing the space between them. Nicole took a deep breath, her fingertips pulling at the label on her bottle of beer, her anxiety needing an outlet. She studied Wynonna’s face, realisation dawning on her that this _was_ what she needed. Nicole trusted that Wynonna loved Waverly and genuinely had her best interest at heart, and if she believed that it was what was best, then she would tell Nicole to back off. Nicole swallowed hard, pushing the bubble of anxiety down before it choked clear in her voice. That was exactly the outcome that scared her, but she needed to know.

“He told me that Waverly is always infatuated with authors, and I _know_ what he’s referring to and I know better than to believe him, but in that instant he made everything feel like a lie. He drove straight into my weakness and he made me feel like some kind of predator.” Nicole dropped her eyes from Wynonna’s as she spoke. She needed to get the words out, and she couldn’t watch the anger in the brunette’s eyes while she did. “Waverly deserves to make her own decisions, and what she tells me suggests that the decision she is making is me. But what if I’m pressuring that? He just made me feel...”

“Haught, Waverly is a grown woman.” Wynonna’s steady voice interrupted, and Nicole’s eyes snapped back up to meet the bright blue gaze. “No matter what Perry seems to think, she is strong minded and she is more than capable of making her own decisions. And if there is one thing that Waverly is _not_ right now, it is confused. In this past week she has stood stronger than she ever has, and she has found the courage to tell herself, to tell me, to tell her long term boyfriend, and to tell _you_ , that she is gay. Waverly has _never been clearer_ in her expression of what she wants, or who she is. Haught, she chose to leave Perry because he wasn’t right for who she really is, so how could he ever know more about what she wants than she does?”

The brunette’s voice was understanding, but the protective anger that sparked in her eyes was still laced in her words, and Nicole understood in an instant that she wasn’t the target. The anger was for Perry, and that much was clear in Wynonna’s words. The intense relief that washed over Nicole caused her to huff out a laugh, and she shook her head. She couldn’t stop the grin that spread across her face as Wynonna relayed her own hopeful thoughts back to her, finding reassurance in someone else who loves Waverly telling her the things that she’d wanted to believe herself. Nicole breathed a sigh, letting her shoulders drop as Wynonna’s lips turned into a smirk, the brunette’s voice softer now as she spoke.

“And sure, Waverly _has_ always been one to get so lost in stories that she couldn’t see the real world before her. But she sees you, Nicole.” Wynonna smiled softly, then smirked as she stood back, cocking an eyebrow in the redhead’s direction. “Now, instead of sitting here asking the opinion of yet someone else in Waverly’s life who _shouldn’t_ be making decisions for her, get the fuck out of my bar and go find my sister before her butthurt ex-boyfriend feeds either of you any more poison bullshit. Frankly this is exhausting and I have hit my quota for the day.”

Wynonna grasped the bottle of beer from Nicole’s hands, and swigged it back, gesturing towards the door. Nicole laughed, shaking her head at the brunette as she stood to leave. That was true, and yes she should have gone straight to Waverly, but at least now she would be doing so with a clear mind.  
  


*********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Waverly’s heart hammered in her chest, and she huffed out a heavy sigh of relief as Nicole’s name flashed across her phone screen. They hadn’t spoken much today, and the anxiety had chewed at Waverly’s stomach all afternoon. Waverly had ignored Nicole’s messages in the midst of her panic, and she had heard nothing since she eventually responded a few hours back. It felt a lot like something was wrong, and Waverly couldn’t help the nerves that crawled under her skin as she slid the arrows to answer.

“Hey.” Waverly cursed herself as her voice wavered, her nerves evident in her first word.

“Hey...” Nicole’s voice was steadier, but Waverly could still hear the huff of the author’s breath as she breathed out her greeting.

Waverly’s stomach spun, and her blood ran cold through her veins. She could hear the unspoken questions between them, and she frantically searched her mind for the right words to put an end to the uncertainty.

“Listen, Waves... Perry called me. I know what happened, and I know that this isn’t supposed to come to you anymore but...”

Nicole’s tentative voice cut through Waverly’s thoughts and the brunette froze, a hazy mix of dread and fury coursing through her veins. Perry had spoken to Nicole. _What in the fuck?_ Nicole’s voice continued, the words ringing in Waverly’s ears as she tried to process her emotions: her anxiety over what must have been said, and her rage over her ex-boyfriend’s actions.

“I’m sending you an update to the manuscript. Reread the last chapter, and if you... if you think the same, then meet me at mine tonight at seven.”

Waverly closed her eyes, her mind swimming. The manuscript? Think the same? What had Perry said? Did Nicole still want her? She stuttered, her voice strained as she asked the only question she could force to the forefront of her mind.

“Nicole what’s going on?”

“I just need you to do this, okay? It’s on its way now. I hope I’ll see you tonight.”

Nicole’s voice was soft, carrying traces of fear and traces of hope, and it confused Waverly further. As the redhead hung up, Waverly’s anxiety floored in her stomach and she started, rushing across the house to find her laptop. She didn’t understand what was happening, but this time the answers _were_ somewhere in the pages she’d searched for so long. Anger still surged through her veins, and her fingers trembled as she pulled the laptop open. There was no way she was letting Perry take this from her now. Not now that she finally understood it. _He had better not have hurt her._

Waverly pulled open her emails, the latest adorned with Nicole’s name, received moments ago. She dragged up the file attachment, her fingers shaking harder as she scrolled down to the last chapter. Waverly felt the tears sting in her eyes as she read. She’d seen these words before, and she was no closer to understanding what had happened. Was she losing Nicole? She scrolled further down the page, swallowing hard in a fight against the nausea that took hold of her body. Waverly’s breath caught in her throat, and she wiped her eyes hurriedly as they landed on a paragraph outlined on the screen in a thick green box. Words she hadn’t seen.

_All her life, Mia had searched for one person that would fit everything she believed she wanted. She didn’t know what she expected to feel when she found it. How she’d expected she would know. Every time Mia had given herself to someone she believed she could love, she’d focused on the blatant matches. The desires for the same life, the shared interests, the well matched sense of humour. The feeling of security and simplicity. So many people had matched that, and Mia had never understood why things didn’t feel right when all the big things made so much sense._

_But Mia hadn’t expected that the reasons wouldn’t be the big ones at all. She had never expected to fall in love with the little things. The way that a simple touch could calm her soul, and light her fires in a singular instant. The sound of her laughter, and the colour of her eyes when it made them shine. The way her voice sounded like home._

_Mia hadn’t known how she had expected to know when she had found her soul mate, but she hadn’t expected to feel the way she did now. Like... it simply didn’t matter anymore whether this was perfect. It simply didn’t matter anymore whether there was a code out there somewhere that was better meant for hers. It simply didn’t matter anymore who the world wanted her to love. It simply mattered that she loved, and that Sophie loved her back._

A comment box sat below the outlined paragraph, much like the one she’d seen the very first time she’d received the manuscript, clearly intended for Waverly’s eyes.

_Like you, I used to lose myself in fantasy worlds to make the one I live in feel a little bit better.  
Since you, the life I’m living gives my fantasies a little meaning.  
It’s real.  
N._

****************************************************************************

Waverly practically jumped on the spot as she pressed the doorbell, waiting impatiently for Nicole to answer. She turned away from the door, running her hands over the front of her dress in an effort to smooth the creases. Waverly spun back as she heard the latch open, her eyes landing instantly on the deep russet she’d been desperate to see all day. Traces of anxious uncertainty swam within them, and Waverly instinctively took a step forward, reaching her arms out to thread around Nicole’s neck. She grinned as relief flooded warm hazel eyes, and those dimples popped in Nicole’s cheeks.

“Of _course_ I think the same.” Waverly whispered, brushing her nose against Nicole’s, pulling her closer.

Waverly connected her lips with Nicole’s, kissing her deeply. The familiar butterflies swarmed in her stomach, and warmth flooded her chest as she felt Nicole’s lips smile into their kiss. Waverly couldn’t help but giggle, breaking the kiss momentarily as she felt Nicole slide her hands over her ass and lift her, her legs instinctively wrapping around the redhead’s waist. Waverly ran her tongue over Nicole’s lower lip, pulling her back into a searing kiss as the redhead backed them into the house, kicking the door shut behind them and pinning Waverly up against it.

Waverly closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the door as Nicole broke the kiss, trailing her lips and tongue along her jawline and over her neck. The brunette’s senses were overloading; the heat that coursed through her body already reaching unbearable intensity, mixed with the sounds of soft music playing from the living room, and a heavy scent of something making her mouth water.

“ _Ooh_ my god, what are you cooking? It smells _amazing._ ” Waverly could hear the breaks and the subtle moans in her own voice as Nicole’s wandering kisses took hold of her pulse point.

“It’s a surprise.” Nicole’s husky voice sounded in Waverly’s ear, eliciting a shudder and a soft groan from the brunette. Nicole ran her tongue over the shell of Waverly’s ear before she continued. “It’ll be another 40 minutes or so.”

“Are those candles? Baby it looks... _Oh god.”_ Waverly couldn’t prevent the groans that punctuated her words as Nicole rolled her hips, and she wrapped her legs tighter around the redhead’s waist.

“Baby...” Waverly laughed softly, amused disbelief mixing with arousal as she contemplated how easy it was for Nicole to set her on fire; to claim her body as her own. “Baby, we should talk.”

Waverly smirked as Nicole’s lips found her own again and she felt the redhead take her weight, carrying her into the living room. The kiss grew deeper still as Nicole set Waverly down on the couch, pinning her against the backrest. Waverly groaned as Nicole finally broke away, biting down on her lower lip with a dimpled grin. The dark haze of her eyes, her kiss swollen lips, and her flushed cheeks sent a fresh wave of heat through Waverly’s core, and she faltered for a moment, unable to comprehend what she’d been trying to stop them for. She tangled her fingers in Nicole’s hair, tugging in an effort to pull her back in, whimpering softly when Nicole held back and instead planted a soft kiss on her nose.

“I’ll grab us a beer, then we’re talking.”

Nicole’s voice was low, the husk doing nothing to lessen the heat that overwhelmed Waverly. As she watched Nicole retreat to the kitchen, Waverly threw herself to the corner of the sofa, burying her face in a cushion, her limbs twitching as she focused her efforts on recomposing herself. They needed to talk this through. Waverly pulled the cushion from over her face as she heard Nicole’s footsteps approach, grinning as she handed her a beer and flopped onto the couch. Nicole leant back against the armrest opposite Waverly, their legs tangling instinctively in each other’s.

“What did he say to you, Nic?”

Waverly’s head swam thick with a haze of emotions as she listened to Nicole explain: anger, hurt, and humiliation over the things that Perry had said to her; and guilt as the redhead admitted that it had got to her. Waverly felt a strong surge of affection for Nicole in the way she had handled this, and the fact that there had been no fight. Despite the impact of Perry’s words on her, Nicole trusted Waverly and she’d demonstrated as much.

“What brought you round?” Waverly leant forwards, reaching to take Nicole’s hand in her own as she spoke.

“Your sister, actually.” Nicole hesitated, her voice sheepish as she looked up at Waverly from under her eyelashes.

“You saw Wynonna?” Waverly heard the raised pitch of surprise in her own voice, her eyebrows furrowing as Nicole nodded, traces of guilt flickering in her eyes.

“I’m really sorry. I know I should have come straight to you, but even though there was such a huge part of me that knew I shouldn’t be listening to a word he said, I just got scared. Scared that I was pushing you into something and that it wasn’t fair. And I didn’t want to throw all that fear at you without thinking it through first.”

Waverly’s heart sank as she watched the guilt lay clear in Nicole’s eyes, and registered the genuine remorse in her voice. She hated that Nicole had been made to question that about herself or about Waverly. She knew how important it was to Nicole for everything to be consensual, and she was all too aware of the efforts that she had made to be sure that things were going at Waverly’s pace.

“Nicole, I’ve told you that...” Waverly started, desperate to convey how wrong Perry’s words had been.

“I know. I do.” Nicole cut her off, her eyes pleading for Waverly to understand. “I know, and I trust your decisions, and I understand that I should never accept that anyone knows what you want better than you do. I believe every word you’ve said to me Waves, I just panicked. I’m sorry.”

Waverly shuffled closer, running her hands over Nicole’s arms in an effort to reassure her, no longer able bear the wounded look in hazel eyes.

“I... I get it, Nic. Perry threw me too. He genuinely really seemed to believe that he knew what I needed, and that scared me.” Waverly fixed her gaze on Nicole’s, feeling her body melt at the concern and the empathy within them. “But I am _done_ with being what other people think I should be, and feeling what other people think I should feel. I know what I want Nic.” Waverly dropped her voice to a husk. “And it’s you.”

Waverly twisted her hands in the front of Nicole’s shirt, leaning back on the sofa and pulling Nicole over her, smirking as she continued.

“I’m always living in my head, and I can’t remember the last time I truly felt like the real world was worth my time. Before you.”

Waverly moved her fingers to the buttons of Nicole’s shirt, slowly working them as she spoke. The redhead’s eyes stayed fixed on her own, hazel visibly darkening with arousal. Nicole’s hands ran up the length of Waverly’s thighs, pushing her dress as far above her hips as it would go. Waverly heard the drop in her own voice, low and breathy as she continued.

“I used to bide my time just dreaming of being alive, and now...” Waverly husked, her fingers pushing the spread of Nicole’s shirt open, running firmly over the newly exposed skin. “I only spend it dreaming of you.”

Waverly brushed her lips lightly over Nicole’s, rolling her fingers over the redhead’s nipples under the thick material of her bra. She gasped loudly, arching her back instinctively as she felt Nicole brush her fingers over the damp material of her underwear. Waverly smirked, capturing Nicole’s lips in a brief kiss before speaking again.

“I know it sounds crazy to say because it’s _so_ soon, and maybe this is _completely_ the wrong time but I’m...” Waverly faltered, a soft moan escaping her lips as Nicole pressed her fingers firmly against her core, the thin material of her underwear the only barrier. She ran her nails up to the back of Nicole’s neck and into her hair, gripping it so that their hooded eyes stayed fixed on each other’s. “I’m falling in love with you, Nicole.”

Nicole’s eyes fluttered closed for a moment, and the groan that escaped her lips raised goosebumps over Waverly’s skin. The brunette shuddered, her breath catching as she felt Nicole slip her underwear to the side.

“It feels _so good_...” The words intertwined with deep groans from both sides as Nicole slid two fingers into Waverly, her fiery eyes fixed once more on the brunette’s. “To hear you say that baby, because I’m falling in love with you too.”

***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

**Epilogue**

The line of people filling the store were now mostly behind Waverly, the hustle and bustle far from dying down. Ahead of her, just a few people away now, Waverly could see the low desk set between vertical banners and Nicole’s red hair, her back to the line as people were led to her one at a time.

Waverly grinned, studying the cover of the book in her hands. The grey-black background looked sleek, the singular worn red ribbon twisting across the front. All she could feel, bursting through every part of her body, was pride. Snippets of various conversations around her met her ears, and she hugged the book to her chest, feeling almost giddy as she tried to take in the words.

_“I’ve read this five times already, I can’t stop myself!”_

_“Do you think they’ll turn it into a movie? Ooh maybe Kristen Stewart will play Mia!”_

_“I’m fighting to get it put on the syllabus, just so I can teach the kids something I actually like.”_

_“Haught is SO sexy, if she gets those dimples out I might die.”_

Waverly laughed, seemingly louder than she’d anticipated as the speaker of that last sentence snapped her head up to look at her. She mumbled a quick apology, then covered her mouth with her book as the giggles hit her.

Oliver waved and grinned widely at her as he approached, ready to lead her up to the desk. He winked knowingly as he led the way, standing aside to allow her through. Waverly paused for a moment, her eyes wandering over her girlfriend. Nicole looked stupidly sexy in a plain white t-shirt and a backwards baseball cap, and she suddenly felt a rush of sympathy for the poor girl who’d made the comment about her dimples. Waverly grinned, stepping up to the table as she spoke, her voice playful.

“Oh my _god_ , you’re so much sexier in the flesh, ever dated a fan?”

Nicole’s head snapped up and she laughed openly as her eyes landed on her girlfriend. She winked, her lips pulling into a suggestive smirk.

“No, though I think I could be about to make an exception.”

Nicole wriggled her eyebrows, leaning back into her chair in an exaggerated swagger as Waverly giggled. The brunette swung her shoulders flirtatiously as she pushed her copy of the book over the table.

“Please sign this? Maybe with your phone number?” Waverly winked and batted her eyelashes, her teasing tone deliberate. She grinned as Nicole tried to suppress her laughter.

“Name?” Nicole cocked an eyebrow, her smug smirk pulling her dimples out.

“Waverly Earp.” She grinned.

Waverly craned her neck to see what Nicole was writing, the redhead chuckling as she pulled the book closer, preventing her from doing so. The author closed the page and handed the book back to her girlfriend, making sure to brush her fingers over Waverly’s as she did.

“You’ll be at Shorty’s in... an hour?” Nicole glanced back at the line of people as she assessed the time frame, a deep blush creeping over her face as a cheer erupted from a few girls near the front as a result.

“We’ll meet you there baby. I’m so proud of you.” Waverly grinned, winking at Nicole. It was adorable how flustered the redhead got under the attention of her admirers.

As she walked away, Waverly opened the front page of the book to Nicole’s message, her blood boiling hot through her veins as her eyes scanned the words.

_I love you, Waverly Earp.  
So much.  
Move in with me?  
N_

She spun back, her eyes landing on Nicole’s. She smirked at the mixture of uncertainty and excitement in the redhead’s eyes as she watched, waiting for the response. Waverly clutched the book once more to her chest, beaming widely at Nicole, feeling the butterflies in her stomach multiply intensely when that dimpled grin flashed back at her.  
  


*********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Waverly let out a small sigh as she watched Nicole enter the bar, her eyes scanning the room and landing on their booth. It never failed to amaze her that even after all these months, just the sight of her girlfriend could make her stomach flip. Butterflies swarmed as Nicole made her way towards them, and she waited impatiently to answer the question that had hung in the air since she’d read the author’s words.

“Haught! Poison?” Nicole halted in her path, turning to the side as Wynonna called her from the bar where she was placing her order.

“I’ll just have a beer, thanks dude!”

As Nicole finally slipped into the booth beside her, Waverly instantly wrapped a hand around the back of her neck, pulling her in for a kiss.

“So?” Nicole offered a shy smile, her warm eyes searching Waverly’s in anticipation.

“Obviously.” Waverly laced her fingers in Nicole’s, her stomach and her chest already buzzing with excitement. She spent most of her time at Nicole’s anyway, but the thought that it would soon become _their_ home sent her mind swimming, and she blushed as she felt the goosebumps rise over her skin.

Waverly chuckled at the beaming grin on her girlfriend’s face, and pulled her in to kiss her again. A small cough broke through the air, reminding Waverly of Jeremy’s presence in the booth opposite them. She supressed a laugh as she broke away, Nicole’s cheeks flushing pink as she turned to greet her editor with a mumbled apology.

“Shots all round, because _we_ are celebrating!” Wynonna’s voice boomed across them as she placed two well balanced trays of beers and shot glasses on the table before them, and slid into the booth besides Jeremy.

Waverly grinned as she picked a shot from the tray, clinking her glass against the other three.

“Bottoms up to our number one best-selling author in six fucking countries, Haught-Shot.” Wynonna tilted her glass in Nicole’s direction, grinning as she threw the liquid back.

Waverly winced as the shot hit her throat, huffing out a laugh as she watched Jeremy grimace and force back a gag. As they reached for their second, Nicole held her glass in the air, tilting it in Jeremy’s direction.

“And cheers to this guy, who turned out to be a pretty decent editor. Even if he is far less adept in charm and beauty than my first one.” Nicole’s voice was teasing, and she punctuated her toast with a wink in Waverly’s direction, earning a laugh from the rest of the group.

“And doesn’t come with the same perks.” Waverly teased, cocking an eyebrow at her girlfriend, laughing as Nicole choked on her shot and Wynonna mimicked a gagging motion.

“Oh er... Perry asked me to pass on his congratulations, Nicole.” Jeremy winced as he spoke, shrugging his shoulders slightly to convey his discomfort.

Waverly laughed, and offered a sympathetic smile to Jeremy as Wynonna scoffed, screwing her face into a grimace of disgust. Waverly turned her focus to Nicole, who rolled her eyes, though the small smirk tugging at the corners of her lips kept the action light. Nicole opened her mouth to speak, not quick enough to beat Wynonna’s frustrated response.

“ _Ugh_ , is that asshat _ever_ going to stop grovelling? It’s bad enough that he behaved like a self-entitled shit-ticket, but at least be one with a spine.”

“Thank you, Jeremy. Wynonna, he may not be my favourite person on the planet but he’s still Waverly’s boss, and he’s not really been an issue since.” Nicole winced, unable to stop the chuckle that followed. “But, yeah he is maybe a _little_ grovelly.”

Waverly grinned, raising her eyebrows as Wynonna rolled her eyes. It hadn’t been ideal, continuing to work for Perry, but aside from his grovelling towards Nicole over his unprofessionalism, he had kept his distance and Waverly’s direct line management had been dealt with by Henry.

Waverly took Nicole’s hand, pulling her arm over her shoulder. She took a beer from the tray, taking a swig and nestling herself back against her girlfriend, her grin widening as she listened to the playful banter amongst the group. If this was the real world, she felt pretty happy to finally be a part of it.  
  


********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Nicole sighed contentedly as she crossed her bedroom to the main light switch, flicking it off and leaving the room under the soft glow of her low bedside lamp. She could hear Waverly bustling about in the en-suite bathroom and she grinned to herself, slowly beginning to strip herself of her clothes. Her mind felt a little hazy, her muscles heavier under the influence of the alcohol, though she was far from drunk. She bit her lip as she dropped the last of her clothes into her laundry basket, turning back towards the bathroom in time for her girlfriend to appear in the doorway.

Nicole’s stomach dropped, her mouth instantly dry. Her heart pounded, and the heat between her thighs was unmissable as she raked her eyes over the sight before her.

“ _Wow._ What’s this?” Nicole swallowed hard, the croak in her voice betraying her instant arousal.

“We’re celebrating, baby.” Waverly’s voice was low, the gravel intentionally seductive, and she deliberately swayed her hips as she moved slowly towards Nicole.

Nicole’s eyes hooded as she let them drop over Waverly’s body, taking in the thin black straps over her girlfriend’s shoulders, holding up corseted black lace that clung to muscular curves. She felt the heat in her core intensify as her eyes consumed the sheer lace over Waverly’s breasts, swirling patterns of thicker material just covering visibly hardened nipples. Thin straps ran from the hem of the corset, connecting to thigh high silk stockings. Nicole ran her tongue between her lips, desperately trying to regain some of the moisture in her mouth as she took in the tiny, barely there black thong nestled between the lines of the suspenders. Nicole forced her gaze back to Waverly’s, smirking as she noted the lust filled way her girlfriend’s eyes drank in her own body, their colour darkening with desire.

Nicole felt the muscles in her forearms twitch as Waverly halted just shy of her reach, and ran her hands provocatively down the sides of her own body. The brunette turned slowly, looking back over her shoulder to keep her eyes fixed on Nicole’s as she rotated her hips in a slow grind. Nicole clenched her fists, her muscles aching to take control. She knew the look in Waverly’s eyes, and she knew her girlfriend intended to tease her; intended to put on a show. The combined forces of the heady haze of alcohol, her heightened energy from the successes of the day, and the searing burn of unadulterated lust overwhelmed her, and Nicole knew that she couldn’t take it. Not tonight. She gritted her teeth, huffing a harsh breath through her nose, her clenched fists trembling as Waverly arched her back, running her hands over her breasts and into her hair. The straps of the suspenders perfectly framed the curve of Waverly’s ass, and as she gyrated her hips firmly, the thin band of Nicole’s control snapped.

She stepped forward swiftly, gripping Waverly’s hips and pulling her girlfriend flush against her, pushing her hips forward to meet the rotating movements of her ass. She tangled one hand in Waverly’s hair, pulling her head to the side and sinking her teeth into the soft flesh where her neck met her shoulder. The moan that tumbled from Waverly’s lips burned in Nicole’s core, and she spun her girlfriend around, gripping her chin between her fingers and thumb as she pulled her into a heated kiss.

Nicole gripped Waverly’s body tightly to her own as she moved them towards the bed, breaking the kiss only as the brunette’s knees buckled against the edge of the mattress and she pushed her backwards. Waverly’s gasp of surprise sent another surge of heat through Nicole’s veins, and she crawled over the top of her girlfriend, running her tongue firmly up the inside of her thighs.

“Baby, this is supposed ... _oh fuck_... “

Nicole heard Waverly’s breathy voice calling as she bit down on the soft flesh of her thighs. She smirked as she ignored the call momentarily, brushing her nose against Waverly’s centre, her nails dragging over her sides over the corset. Taking a deep, shaky breath, Nicole reigned her body in just enough to crawl back up to meet Waverly’s eyes; ready to listen. Every muscle in her body trembled with her need and the effort to control herself, but she wouldn’t let go. Not until she was told she could. Waverly ran her fingers over Nicole’s lips, her voice strained with her arousal as the redhead’s tongue met the tip of her finger, pulling it into her mouth.

“Nic, this is supposed to be a celebration for _you_ , to make _you_ feel good.”

“Mmhmm, and what would make me feel good _right now_ ...” Nicole slid her hands underneath Waverly’s body, flipping her over onto her stomach. She dragged her nails up the back of trembling thighs, planting open mouthed kisses over the back of her girlfriend’s neck. “Is hearing you call my name.”

Nicole smirked, feeling the goosebumps rise under her lips as she trailed kisses and soft bites along the line of Waverly’s spine.

“Is that okay?” She paused for a moment, waiting for the consent she needed to let her last barriers down.

“ _Yes._ ” Waverly’s response came thick with desire, her voice a strained rasp, her hips rolling instinctively into the mattress as Nicole’s fingers closed firmly around them.

“On your knees.” Nicole’s instruction was husky, her voice almost a growl as she pulled Waverly’s hips back, forcing her upwards.

Nicole’s centre pulsed, and she clenched her thighs together as Waverly groaned loudly, sitting back onto her knees as instructed, propping herself up on the mattress with her elbows. Carnal desire boiled in Nicole’s blood as she took in the sight of her girlfriend, the thin straps of the tiny black thong doing nothing to hide the brunette’s state of arousal.

Nicole ran her tongue over the curves of Waverly’s thighs, tasting the arousal pooling around the material of her underwear. She groaned once more at the sight of the curves of her girlfriend’s ass, framed between the material of the suspenders. She needed the barrier of the thong gone, but there was no way she was removing the lace and silk that sent shivers down her spine.

“How attached are you to these panties?” Nicole husked, twisting her fingers under the thin back of the material as she bit down on the edge of Waverly’s ass, dangerously close to her centre.

“ _Shit..._ w-why?”

Waverly’s voice dripped with arousal, and Nicole couldn’t help the smug smirk that pulled at her lips. Nothing drove her crazy more than knowing that she could push Waverly to her limits, teetering on the edge before she’d touched her where she needed her most.

“Answer the question.” Nicole growled, pulling the material of the thong upwards to press gently against Waverly’s clit, her own core pulsing harder at the moans her actions elicited.

“ _My god..._ not _at all_.” Waverly’s words were laced with a whimper, her fingers clutching at the sheets in front of her.

In one swift movement, Nicole gripped the fabric of the thong, ripping the thin strap apart and pulling the material away from Waverly’s body. She sank her tongue into Waverly’s core, feeling her own muscles shudder as her girlfriend cried out, gripping the pillows in front of her. Nicole dragged the flat of her tongue down over the length of Waverly’s centre, flicking the tip firmly over her clit.

“ _God,_ Nicole, fuck me.” Waverly pushed her hips back, desperate for more contact, the plea falling from her lips in a cascade of moans.

Nicole sucked Waverly’s clit firmly into her mouth, before running her tongue back over Waverly’s entrance, continuing over her body. She felt Waverly shudder, and heard the sharp intake of breath as the redhead’s tongue ran firmly over her ass, continuing up over her back. Nicole bit down on Waverly’s earlobe as she finally obliged her girlfriend’s pleas, sinking two fingers hard into her centre. She felt her jaw fall slack, fighting to ignore the pressure between her own legs as she slammed her hips forward, throwing everything she had into fucking Waverly hard, the sounds filling the room spurring her on more. Nicole groaned as she felt Waverly’s walls start to tighten around her fingers, and she wrapped her arm around her waist, pulling her girlfriend up against her body. Waverly’s moans grew silent as the sudden change in the angle allowed Nicole to hit something deeper inside of her that strangled her cries. It felt rough, and it felt dirty, and it felt all consuming, and as Nicole moved her hand down to circle Waverly’s clit, she felt the brunette’s muscles clamp around her fingers. Nicole let the moans of her own desire fall from her lips as Waverly’s orgasm hit hard, a guttural cry of Nicole’s name finally choking free.

Nicole wrapped her arms around Waverly’s waist, guiding the brunette down as she flopped forwards onto the bed, her muscles no longer able to hold her upright.

“Oh my _fucking_ god. What did you just do to me?” Waverly’s words were muffled, her face partially buried in the pillows and her voice still strained and breathless, but Nicole chuckled as she heard them.

Nicole flopped down beside her girlfriend, lifting her chin to kiss her deeply. As Waverly pulled back, Nicole felt a shiver run through her spine as she noted the fire in the brunette’s eyes, showing no signs of being even nearly subdued. Waverly shifted her position, pinning Nicole back, and the author was suddenly acutely aware of the throbbing arousal in her own centre. Waverly dropped between Nicole’s legs, pulling her hips up in one swift movement, her hands sliding under her girlfriend’s ass, the redhead’s legs resting over her shoulders. Nicole cried out, her hands flying into Waverly’s hair as the brunette closed her mouth instantly around the redhead’s clit, sucking it hard, squeezing her nails over the flesh of her ass.

Nicole could feel the muscles in her ass start to tremble against her girlfriend’s grasping fingers, and could hear her own moans grow heavier. She bucked her hips impulsively, feeling Waverly extract her hands as she flicked her tongue firmly over Nicole’s clit. Waverly’s hand travelled up over Nicole’s chest, rolling a hardened nipple between her fingers. Nicole threw her head back against the pillow, her body arching forwards as Waverly heightened her movements; sucking hard on her clit and pulling her nipple tighter as she sank two fingers into her girlfriend. Waverly wasted no time in working up a rhythm, flicking her tongue swiftly over Nicole’s clit. As Nicole felt her own muscles tighten and her moans grew guttural, she felt Waverly cease the thrust of her fingers. Instead she held them deep, rapidly flicking the tips of her fingers over the sensitive ridges of flesh. The expletives that tumbled from Nicole’s lips blended into carnal moans, and her whole body shuddered, the fingers gripping into Waverly’s hair trembling as her orgasm overwhelmed her.

“Holy _fuck_.”

Nicole’s chest heaved, and she closed her eyes, clutching at the sheets as she slowly returned to the world around her. She grinned as she felt Waverly wriggle into her side, wrapping her leg over the top of her girlfriend’s waist and resting her head in the crook of her shoulder. Nicole heard her breathe a contented sigh as the redhead wrapped her arm around her girlfriend, pulling her closer.

“I love you. Have I ever mentioned that?” Nicole’s voice still carried hoarse breathlessness, her emotions thick as she fought for her recovery from her high.

“Once or twice.” Waverly grinned, leaning up to connect her lips with Nicole’s in a soft kiss. “I love you too.”

The room fell quiet for a moment, but for the slow evening out of heavy breaths, and contented sighs. Waverly nuzzled herself close against her girlfriend, their fingers exploring each other’s skin gently.

“I can’t wait for this to be _our_ home.” Nicole’s voice was light, and Waverly grinned as she recognised the giddiness within it that she felt in her own chest. “How soon?”

“How soon do you want me?” Waverly supressed the smirk she could feel threatening, knowing what the answer to her question would be, but wanting to hear it anyway.

“Now? Never leave again?” Nicole’s warm eyes widened, and she turned her lips into a small pout, wrapping her arms tighter around Waverly’s shoulders.

“You are so soft it’s unreal.” Waverly laughed, burying her face into Nicole’s neck as she pressed herself closer to her girlfriend.

“Ssshhh. Don’t tell anyone. That’s a secret.” Nicole whispered, her lips tracing the shell of Waverly’s ear.

“Nic, I speak six languages.” Waverly smirked, the matter-of-fact tone of her voice contradicted by the playful look in her eyes and the way she danced her fingers over Nicole’s skin.

“Okay...” Nicole quirked an eyebrow, waiting for Waverly to explain the relevance of her linguistic talents.

“Including Italian, and Latin.” Waverly’s smirk grew smug, her singsong voice playful as she traced her fingers lightly over Nicole’s stomach.

“Right.” Nicole furrowed her brows, pulling back to eye Waverly quizzically.

“So I have known from the moment I opened your damn manuscript that you are a giant melted cheeseball, and now you’ve announced that to six countries.” Waverly giggled.

Nicole huffed out a laugh, a soft blush creeping over her cheeks as she nodded, realising exactly what Waverly was teasing her for.

_Mia Sempre._

_Mea Semper._

_Mia Semper._

My Always.


End file.
